Arra's Assistant
by ArraWintle
Summary: This is a story about Arra Sails and her assistant Sophie my OC. There will be drama and lemons later I promise.
1. Chapter 1 The New Arrival

**Arra's Assistant**

**A/N**

**This is a quick tale about Arra taking on an assistant and how their lives would be.**

**This is only meant to be a short story so enjoy!**

**I have put songs in it as they fit with the story.**

**A/N**

**This song has been written to the tune of Circle of Life.**

**Chapter One The New Arrival**

"**From the night I arrived at the mountain and blinking I stepped into the Halls. There is more to duel than can ever be duelled, more to learn than can ever be learnt. There is far too much to take in here more to fight than can ever be fought, but with the moon shining high in the midnight sky it brings Princes and Generals, it's the Vampire Council and they rule us all through despair and hope, through war and peace until we find our place on the Bars unrelenting in the mountain with the Vampire Council"**

**This is the song that I sung to myself when I made my way up to the mountain for the council. I had no mentor and next to no chance of surviving alone, I had no choice but to make my way to the mountain using an old map that Mr Tall had given to me along with some rough instructions, I had been at the Cirque Du Freak for five years as a stage hand but I wanted more so I left to seek out the Clan and join them. **

**I had heard about one vampiress who may have been able to help me as she did not have an assistant but she was looking for one.**

**I continued on my journey and I was absolutely freezing with my bare feet and no jacket. I could have died on the way but up until now I had been lucky it was like my _destiny _was to join the Clan.**

**I saw the entrance to a cave like Mr Tall had said and I wondered down the dark, dank, smelly tunnel until I saw some green shiny stuff on the walls. _Luminous Lichen_ I thought to myself when I saw it, I was definitely going the right way which was a relief.**

"**Who are you?" One guy with a sharp looking spear asked me.**

"**I'm Sophie I have come here looking for a Miss Arra Sails. Mr Tall sent me" I explained.**

"**Then you are recognised by the gate, you may enter our mountain, we were expecting you after all" The guard said.**

**I entered the Hall and I looked around in the darkness that surrounded me. I saw some torches that had been lit so I followed them into a larger, well lit Hall where there were obviously a lot of Clan members but they were all men, there was not a sign of a woman anywhere except for me.**

**I walked around and I tried to adjust myself to the new atmosphere as I was a human and for me it was very smoky in there from the fireplace where the fire was blazing.**

**I wondered around aimlessly, most of the Clan took no notice of me until I stumbled into a Hall where there were a lot of strange looking contraptions.**

"**Welcome to the Halls of Sport" One guy said to me.**

"**Thanks, do you know where Arra is?" I asked.**

"**She is on the Bars of course. Are you new here?" The guy asked me.**

"**I am new, I have been sent here by Mr Tall to become Arra's assistant" I said.**

"**I am Vanez Blaine the Games Master, follow me and I will introduce you two" Vanez replied, he seemed friendly enough.**

"**Arra this is Sophie, she is the human that Mr Tall has sent for you" Vanez said to Arra.**

"**Hi, I am Sophie" I said.**

"**So you are going to be my new assistant" Arra said.**

"**Yes if it pleases you Miss Sails" I said politely with a curtsey.**

"**Well I have lots of chores for you to do. Come with me" Arra replied. **

"**Yes Miss Sails, bye Mr Blaine" I said.**

"**Bye and please call me Vanez" Vanez called back to me.**

"**Right I have washing for you to do, then you have to come hunting with me and after that I will show you to where you will be sleeping. I expect you to work hard, be polite and remember who you are representing, what you do reflects upon me so live cleanly and do not dishonour me" Arra said.**

"**Am I OK to be a human still?" I asked.**

"**Scars are earnt so you will remain human for now" Arra said.**

**Then Arra left me to get on with washing all of her clothes, she had lots of clothes. I had to wash them, dry them, fold them and pack them away into her chest of drawers.**

**The hunting trip intrigued me but that would come later.**

**After I had sorted out Arra's clothes I went to find her but I got lost as the mountain was a lot bigger than what I had thought that it would be. **

"**Where are you off to?" A stern voice said behind me.**

"**I am lost; I am trying to find the Halls of Sport. I have to report to Miss Sails" I explained.**

"**Follow me and by the way I am called Seba, who are you?" Seba asked me.**

"**I am Sophie and I am Arra's assistant" I said.**

"**Oh right I had heard about you, Mr Tall sent you here did he not?" Seba said.**

"**Yes he did, he thought that Arra would have use for me" I replied as we turned a familiar corner and walked towards the Halls of Sport.**

"**Here are the Halls of Sport" Seba said.**

"**Thanks Sir" I said and I walked into the Halls of Sport where Arra was waiting for me.**

"**What took you so long?" Arra asked me.**

"**I got lost, Seba found me and showed me the way Miss Sails" I said.**

"**That is good. Is all of the laundry done?" Arra asked.**

"**Yes and I am ready to go hunting now" I replied.**

"**You can't go dressed like that Sophie, come with me" Arra said and we headed to a storeroom.**

"**Here put these on and this too oh and you will need this as well" Arra said as she handed me clean socks, shoes, a jacket and a short sword.**

"**Thank you" I said.**

"**You're welcome, now come with me" Arra said and we left the mountain to go hunting.**

**I was a bit scared about going hunting as I was used to going with Little People but tonight we were alone.**

"**Sophie stay here" Arra said.**

"**Yes Miss Sails" I replied.**

"**Keep quiet" Arra said and she disappeared in a white blur. When Arra returned she was carrying a big stag and a smaller deer.**

"**Carry this back to the mountain" Arra said as she passed me the smaller deer.**

"**It is a bit heavy, I can't lift it up" I said and that was the truth.**

"**Dammit I forgot about how weak you humans are. Alright I'll come back for it. You wait here" Arra said.**

"**Yes Miss" I said and Arra disappeared again. I was covered in blood from where the deer had been gutted and killed.**

**Soon Arra returned, she took hold of the deer and I marched behind her as she carried it back to the mountain so that it could be cooked and eaten by us or so I thought.**

**I got back inside the mountain and I was glad to be back in the warm as there was snow on the ground outside and it was very cold, I shivered a lot.**

"**What's wrong with you?" Arra asked when she saw me shivering.**

"**I am freezing Miss Sails. I feel sick" I said.**

"**It is not that cold" Arra said.**

"**It is for a human Arra" Somebody said. I turned around to see a tall, orange haired vampire standing behind Arra.**

"**Hi Larten, have you met my new assistant Sophie?" Arra asked.**

"**No I have not but Seba has and he told me of her beauty but I did not expect this" Larten complimented me.**

**I blushed and looked at the floor as no-one had ever called me beautiful before.**

"**Thank you for your compliment" I said I was still looking at the floor.**

"**Watch what you say Larten" Arra said sternly.**

"**Jealous are you Arra?" Larten asked.**

"**No but I do not want my assistant getting any stupid ideas into her head. Am I not beautiful?" Arra asked.**

"**Of course you are but in a different way" Larten said.**

"**Sophie, are you cold?" Arra asked.**

"**I am absolutely freezing" I replied.**

"**Well I will have to blood you then won't I?" Arra said.**

"**If that is the only way to keep me warm whilst I am here then just blood me" I replied.**

"**Well it is not the only way" Larten said and smiled.**

"**Larten I'm warning you" Arra said.**

"**What have I said? I am discussing all of the options" Larten replied.**

"**You will not be keeping my assistant warm in that way" Arra said angrily.**

"**Just watch me Arra" Larten said as he removed his cloak and threw it around my shoulders, it was warm and I instantly felt warmer.**

"**Thank you" I muttered, my eyes were still on the floor.**

"**Why do you not look at me?" Larten asked.**

"**I am not permitted because you are of a higher rank than me" I said.**

"**That is ridiculous you can look at whoever you like Sophie" Larten said.**

"**But Miss Sails said not to, I must not disobey her" I replied.**

"**You are obviously well trained" Larten said.**

"**I hope so, I do work very hard" I replied.**

"**Larten do you want something?" Arra asked.**

"**I was making sure that Sophie is OK as the Clan's ambassador I have to make all of our new arrivals feel welcome and I have to check that they are being taken care of" Larten replied.**

"**Oh well I didn't know that you got a new job" Arra replied.**

"**Are you going to blood Sophie or not Arra?" Larten asked.**

"**I will do unless you want to do it as you know more about it than me" Arra said.**

"**I could do it but that would make Sophie my responsibility and I already have Darren to contend with. No you must do it Arra" Larten replied.**

"**Fine, hold up your hands" Arra said.**

**I held up my hands and I watched Arra dig her nails into her fleshy finger tips before she did the same to my fingers.**

**Arra joined her hands to mine and I could feel the blood being transferred into my body and out again into hers. We stayed joined for a few minutes and then Arra broke away; she sucked her fingers and then she did the same to mine to heal the wounds.**

"**There you are Sophie; you are now a half vampiress" Arra said.**

"**Thank you Miss Sails" I replied. I instantly felt weak and sick.**

"**You did not even flinch Sophie; Darren hated it when I blooded him. You must be made of strong stuff" Larten said.**

"**I feel sick" I said and I fell to the ground.**

"**That can sometimes happen, you'll be OK after a good day's sleep" Arra said.**

"**Alright where do I sleep?" I asked.**

"**In my quarters with me until Seba finds you a room of your own" Arra said.**

"**OK. I feel really ill. Something isn't right" I said weakly.**

"**You'll be fine Sophie" Arra said.**

**I tried to stand up but I puked when I did and then I could not stand at all.**

"**This has not happened before" Arra said.**

"**Maybe you held on for too long or maybe your blood is not compatible" Larten said.**

"**I feel OK" Arra said.**

"**Well maybe it is just a rough change, not everybody adjusts straight away" Larten replied.**

"**That is true, I knew of another vampire who had a rough time" Arra said.**

"**What do I do?" I asked.**

"**I will help you get to bed and then all you have to do is sleep as then the blood will have time to settle in your veins" Arra said.**

"**Thanks" I replied weakly before I threw up again.**

**Larten disappeared and I was carried to my coffin by Arra. I really wasn't well.**


	2. Chapter 2 Duel Practice

**Chapter 2 Duel Practice**

**I woke up in my coffin in Arra's quarters. I looked around and I felt a lot better now. I was warmer and I could see clearer than what I had done before.**

**I sat up and stretched. Arra was watching me as I stretched myself.**

"**Are you OK Sophie?" Arra asked.**

"**I feel a lot better now but I'm starving Miss Sails" I replied.**

"**Come with me to the food hall then and we'll grab a bite to eat" Arra said as I got dressed.**

"**You can't wear those blood stained rags" Arra said as she fetched one of her own shirts and a pair of trousers**

"**It is all I have Miss Sails. I have nothing to my name and no money either" I said.**

"**Well I will take care of that but for now you can share my clothes seeing as you washed them so well yesterday" Arra said as I put on her white shirt and a pair of her trousers.**

"**Thank you" I said quickly.**

**I tied my hair up in a tight ponytail to keep it off of my face and then I followed Arra to the food hall. I was so hungry that I grabbed a chunk of bread, some bat broth and a leg of venison.**

"**Well you have a good appetite" Arra said as I scoffed down my food.**

"**I was very hungry. Where do I get blood from?" I asked.**

"**Are you thirsty for blood already?" Arra asked.**

"**I think that I must be" I replied.**

"**Alright I'll go and get some for us. I am thirsty too" Arra said.**

"**Thanks" I replied automatically.**

**I was left alone to finish off my bat broth which was surprisingly nice considering what it was made from!**

**Soon I saw Larten walking over to my table. I quickly lowered my gaze as he sat down opposite me.**

"**Are you settling in OK Sophie?" Larten asked me.**

"**I am enjoying it so far. Miss Sails is a very good tutor. I have duel practice later on tonight" I replied.**

"**Please look at me" Larten said.**

**I looked up quickly and I saw his blue eyes first, then I saw his scar and his orange hair, he was handsome in my opinion.**

"**Do you like what you see?" Larten asked me.**

"**Yes at least you don't look scary like some of the others" I laughed.**

"**I do try to be nice to ladies however I find it hard to speak when one as beautiful as you is around me though" Larten said.**

"**Please stop this. I am not worthy of your compliments" I replied.**

"**Oh but you are and I intend to keep on giving them until you open up to me and let me into your life" Larten said.**

"**What do you want me to do?" I said.**

"**Do not be afraid of me and look at me when I speak to you" Larten said.**

"**I am not afraid of you I just don't want to disobey my mentor" I replied just as Arra came back with two goblets full of blood.**

"**What is this?" Arra asked.**

"**We were just talking Arra. I am trying to get your assistant to feel comfortable around me since I am going to be sticking around" Larten said.**

"**Larten we have been through this. You are not going to get your hands on my assistant, I know what you are like and I am not having Sophie get hurt or worse" Arra said.**

"**I will not hurt her, I just want to be there for her" Larten said.**

"**Oh yeah like you were there for me you mean? You abandoned me Larten and I am not having you do the same thing to Sophie" Arra replied crossly.**

"**Well you will have to surrender her one night and if I am not the one Arra who is?" Larten asked.**

"**Excuse me but what are you talking about?" I asked nervously.**

"**Well one night I will have to pick a mate for you so that you can give him your virginity" Arra said.**

"**I am not a virgin Arra. I was raped when I was twelve" I admitted.**

"**Oh I am sorry Sophie, I did not realise" Arra said.**

"**It is OK it was a long time ago and I am over it. Surely I should get to choose who I want as my boyfriend though" I said.**

"**Well it is traditional that the mentor picks for her assistant but if you are not a virgin then you can choose" Arra replied.**

"**Well that is good. I don't like the look of any of these vampires that I have seen. I want somebody who will be gentle and kind, someone who will spoil me rotten and stick by my side" I replied as I gave Larten a quick look that told him that I was looking to him to be the one.**

"**Well Sophie, in that case you will have a problem but someone will come along eventually" Arra said.**

"**Can we start duelling now?" I asked as I tried to change the subject.**

"**If you want to start training you can. Larten can you escort Sophie to the Halls of Sport? I have to fetch the duelling stave that is in my quarters" Arra asked.**

"**But of course I can Arra. Sophie, please follow me" Larten said and he led the way to the Halls of Sport with me tagging along beside him. I was trying hard not to blush but I could not help it.**

**We arrived in the Halls of Sport which were deserted except for us. I hopped up upon the Bars with a small staff and I started to test it out and get the hang of striking and blocking.**

**Larten hopped up onto the Bars also and he showed me a few things. I could not look at him as every time I did I blushed and smiled, was this a crush?**

"**Are you OK Sophie? You are very red" Larten said.**

"**I am OK but every time that I look at you I go all funny inside" I said.**

"**What do you mean?" Larten asked.**

"**I go all tingly and I feel like I am flying" I explained.**

"**That is interesting. Do you know what causes this feeling?" Larten asked me.**

"**I think that I have a crush on you" I admitted.**

"**I thought that would be the case. It is common for ladies to fall at my feet" Larten replied as he stepped closer to me.**

"**Miss Sails would never allow it though" I said gloomily.**

"**Well then we will have to make the most of being here alone now" Larten said and then he smiled really suggestively which made my legs turn to jelly.**

"**We can't it's not right" I said.**

"**We can do what we like Sophie. I swear that I will never hurt you or do anything that you do not want me to do" Larten said as he stepped closer to me still.**

**I looked up at him, he was so much taller than me and I felt really weird.**

"**OK I trust you" I said quietly.**

**Larten used his speed and he kissed me. I was shocked but I made no effort to stop it.**

**I had kissed before but not for a long time. I knew what to do though. Soon enough I was returning the favour and it felt so good. I got deeper into the kiss, I shut my eyes and I could feel our tongues touching. We broke away from each other and it took me a few seconds to regain my breath.**

"**How was that?" Larten asked.**

"**Surprisingly pleasant but it was totally unexpected" I said.**

"**I liked it too" Larten said as he held my waist.**

"**I thought that we were supposed to be training" I said.**

"**Would you rather kiss me or train?" Larten asked.**

"**I'd rather kiss you if I'm being honest" I said.**

"**I thought you would say that" Larten said as he hopped off of the Bars and sat down in one of the spectator's seats. I joined him.**

"**So, now what can we do?" I asked.**

"**We can continue kissing and holding each other" Larten said.**

**We tilted our heads; we kissed each other and we held each other. I was so out of practice but I got into the rhythm of it…at least I did until Arra walked in and caught us in the act.**

"**What the fuck is going on in here?" Arra shouted.**

"**We were um just talking" I said quickly.**

"**How can you talk when your tongue is down Larten's throat?" Arra shouted at me angrily.**

"**I am sorry. Larten kissed me first and I returned the favour" I admitted.**

"**Oh so it's Larten now. You are obviously getting very friendly" Arra said.**

"**I didn't know it was wrong to kiss a guy who I have a crush on" I said.**

"**Have you encouraged this behaviour Larten?" Arra asked.**

"**I kissed your assistant that is all. Sophie is so beautiful I could not help it" Larten said.**

"**Larten, Larten, Larten will you ever learn?" Arra asked.**

"**I do not see what I have done wrong. I just kissed your assistant" Larten said.**

"**You mean that you kissed her passionately and you slipped your tongue into her mouth. Kissing doesn't cut it" Arra said.**

"**Alright fine, I snogged her. Now are you happy?" Larten asked sarcastically.**

"**No I'm disappointed but Sophie I don't blame you as I should have made it clearer for you. Larten you are to blame for this indiscretion and I'm warning you now that if you ever come near my assistant again I will skin you alive" Arra said with a fire in her angry eyes. **

"**What is so wrong with kissing your assistant?" Larten asked.**

"**By kissing my assistant you hurt my feelings because it should be me that you are kissing" Arra said.**

"**Arra we have been through this, I am not going to get back with you. I cannot go through that mess again as it fucked me up in the head" Larten said.**

"**You were fucked up in the head? What about me? You abandoned me here for the Cirque Du Freak and that Truska bitch" Arra shouted.**

"**That was a mistake Arra, I regret messing you up in the head but I am not going to be yours again" Larten said firmly.**

"**So you have decided to spite me by getting with my own assistant?" Arra asked.**

"**Who said that? I only kissed your assistant but I can make her scream if you want me to" Larten said.**

"**You know what Larten? Fuck you and your friends too. I hate you" Arra shouted and then she left us alone in the Halls of Sport.**

"**Well that was unexpected" I said.**

"**I am sorry if I scared you but the last thing I need right now is my jealous ex mate making my life here a misery" Larten said as he held me close to him.**

"**Well you brought it on yourself Larten. I told you that it was wrong" I replied.**

"**No it is not wrong. I want you so much it hurts me, I only met you yesterday but you are completely stunning and you are my dark angel no matter what" Larten said as he kissed me again.**

**I went with the kiss and afterwards we just held each other before I hopped upon the Bars, then I got Larten to continue training me how to duel and it went really well, I even knocked him off twice!**

"**That was good Sophie, you are picking up the moves well" Larten said.**

"**Am I your girlfriend?" I asked.**

"**Not yet but you will be soon" Larten said.**

"**I had better go and see if Miss Sails needs me to do any jobs for her" I replied and I left.**

**A few nights later**

**I still served Arra as her assistant. She worked me hard but she trained me well and soon I was a formidable force on the Bars and nobody wanted to get on the wrong side of me. **

**I cracked the skull of one cocky General and I smashed the ribs of another in a duel, suffice to say they were not so cocky afterwards. **

"**Hi Sophie" Vanez said.**

"**Oh hello Vanez, did you see me duel yesterday?" I asked.**

"**Yes and you were pretty damn good. I was impressed" Vanez replied.**

"**Why thanks Vanez" I replied.**

"**You're welcome, oh before I forget Larten wants you in his quarters" Vanez said.**

"**OK I'll go there now. I wonder what he wants" I said.**

"**I'm not sure but he must want you for something" Vanez laughed.**

"**It'll probably be sex as we haven't done it yet" I admitted.**

"**So that wasn't you screaming last night?" Vanez asked.**

"**No that was Arra and Mika and their one night stand, I only know because I got thrown out of Arra's quarters and I had to sleep in Larten's but Arra was so loud I got no sleep at all" I said.**

"**Well Mika must be good that is all I can say, no-one screams like that unless they are really enjoying themselves" Vanez laughed.**

"**Well I will have to wait and see won't I?" I asked.**

"**Yes, Larten has a good reputation but he likes it rough so be warned" Vanez said.**

"**How do you know?" I asked suspiciously.**

"**Because Arra asked me for extra lessons so that she could put up a fight against him until she surrendered herself as that was how they liked it" Vanez said.**

"**I hope Larten is gentle with me" I said.**

"**Well he will be if you ask him to be, he is not one to deliberately hurt a lady" Vanez called out as I left to go and see him.**

**I arrived at Larten's quarters and I knocked upon the door which was old and very heavy looking.**

"**Evening Larten" I said casually.**

"**Are you alright?" Larten asked me.**

"**I am OK but I am a little scared about why you have called me here" I admitted.**

"**I wanted you and me to make our relationship official" Larten said.**

"**How does that happen?" I asked.**

"**Well by sharing quarters and spending lots more time together" Larten said.**

"**Miss Sails will hate me for it" I said.**

"**Well if she dismisses you I will take you on as my second assistant" Larten said.**

"**So I'll have to serve you instead of Miss Sails? I only want to be your girlfriend I don't want to be anybody's servant" I said.**

"**You will not serve me but I will promise this to you and that is if I cannot satisfy you, you are free to be with whoever you like" Larten said.**

"**Well that is good as I'm getting bored of serving Miss Sails even though she is a good tutor" I replied.**

"**Arra has not had an assistant so she does not know how to take care of you properly but I do" Larten said as he held me close to him.**

"**That's good to know" I said casually. I sat down on one of Larten's chairs that he had and he sat next to me.**

"**Does Darren like me? I don't want to upset him" I asked.**

"**Darren likes you, in fact he admitted to me that he fancies you but I told him that I had already entered into a relationship with you. He was so disappointed" Larten said.**

"**Oh right, well that is another guy who fancies me. So far you, Gavnur, Vanez and Darren have all asked me out but I picked you over them and I'm glad that I did" I replied.**

"**You are so beautiful it is no surprise that lots of vampires want you but I want you more and I will make it good for you when we eventually do sleep together" Larten said.**

"**When will we sleep together?" I asked nervously.**

"**When I feel that you are able to cope with me, I have no intention of hurting you so I will break you in slowly so that you get used to the feeling of intercourse before I go all out with you" Larten said.**

"**At least I am not a virgin" I said.**

"**That makes little difference but it is a shame that you had to lose your innocence in such a violent manner" Larten said.**

"**I hated it Larten, he hurt me so badly both physically and emotionally" I replied quietly.**

"**I can imagine how horrible it was, that is why I do not want to rush things" Larten said.**

"**I want to sleep with you now though Larten" I pleaded.**

"**Believe me when I say that it would not be wise at this moment in time" Larten said.**

"**Larten, stop fucking teasing me I am so horny right now it is a nightmare" I said.**

"**Fine if you want me you can have me but I did try to warn you" Larten said as he started to kiss me.**

**I kissed back with the lust that I had been holding back for a while. **

**Larten ripped my shirt off with his nails and he looked at my exposed flesh that was underneath.**

"**You have such a beautiful body Sophie" Larten said as he caressed my flesh and sucked on my breasts. **

"**Whatever you are doing to me it feels so damn good please don't stop" I said.**

"**Lay back and try to relax if you can. I am going to try something out on you" Larten said. I lay down upon the chair and I instinctively opened my legs. I could feel Larten working his way down my body, he stopped at my neck and he sucked it until I had a trail of love bites all down my body. I gasped for more as his teeth grazed my skin that had been neglected for a long time.**

**Then Larten worked his way down to my legs, he had his head between them and he was doing something with his tongue that was making me breathe rapidly and I was shaking.**

"**Give me more, whatever it is that you are doing keep it up, I love it" I gasped.**

**Larten continued to lick me in an area that I had not been aware of before tonight. Then all of a sudden this sensation hit me, I was shaking loads and trying to increase this new experience. I gasped out for more breath as I was breathing heavily, well I was almost panting and moaning but I did not understand why and then I let out a cry for more and a small squeal escaped my lips. **

**Then Larten stopped what he was doing and he moved up until his head was level with mine, we kissed and then I felt something strange happen. One minute I was kissing Larten and the next I was squirming and trying to move away from the uncomfortable pain that I was feeling.**

"**Keep still and relax my love" Larten said.**

"**It hurts though, what are you doing to me?" I asked.**

"**We are having sex" Larten answered simply between kissing me.**

"**Larten it hurts" I complained.**

"**I know but it will not hurt so much if you relax" Larten said.**

"**I am trying to, my instinct is telling me to fight you because of my past" I said.**

**Then I felt something being pushed into me deeper and I gasped with shock.**

"**This is just too much" I said as a few tears came into the corners of my eyes.**

"**It will be OK now, trust me" Larten said as he began to move back and forth until I could feel him gliding in and out of me which actually felt alright and it was quite stimulating for me.**

"**How is it now?" Larten asked.**

"**It's better but it still feels strange" I said.**

"**Has the pain gone?" Larten asked.**

"**Yes" I said.**

"**Hold on to me tight" Larten said.**

**I grasped Larten's neck tightly and I instinctively moved my legs a bit wider apart which made me feel a bit more of a nice feeling.**

**I could hear us breathing pretty fast and panting almost until with some kind of weird gasp I felt something gush inside me and then Larten collapsed next to me. I moved and got comfortable. I looked down and saw that I was covered in white liquid that was spilling out of me. **

"**Larten is that what I think it is?" I asked.**

"**What do you think that it is?" Larten asked me.**

"**Is that your semen dripping out of me?" I asked looking worried.**

"**Yes it is why?" Larten asked.**

"**It's a bit messy. I am going to wash it off" I said and I got up only for it to drip down my legs and go everywhere.**

"**That is so gross, next time can you use a condom?" I asked. **

"**They are not available in the mountain, no vampire uses condoms as there is no point" Larten said.**

"**So how do you stop the spread of sexual infections and unwanted pregnancies?" I asked.**

"**Vampires are immune to such matters and we are also barren, no vampire can carry or sire children. Arra clearly did not explain this to you" Larten said.**

"**No she didn't but it is still messy" I complained.**

"**It is normal and it was fun or at least I tried to make it fun for you" Larten responded.**

"**I did enjoy parts of it like that part at the beginning, what did you do to me?" I asked naively. **

"**I simply licked you out until you orgasmed; that is why you liked it so much" Larten said.**

"**Oh right I had no idea what was happening to me as I have only ever kissed guys except for the guy who took advantage of me" I explained.**

"**So you have never orgasmed?" Larten asked me.**

"**Not until then no at least I don't think that I have" I said.**

"**Well how was it for you? Did you like what I did to you?" Larten asked.**

"**I did enjoy it and that sensation that I got was pretty powerful and it was unexpected. I am pretty tired now though so I had better sleep as I have to be up early to aid Miss Sails tomorrow as she has a lot of duties for me to be getting on with" I said as I curled up beside Larten in his coffin which was clean.**


	3. Chapter 3 Heartbreak and Happiness

**Chapter 3 Heartbreak and Happiness **

"**Sophie wake up" I heard a voice say. I looked around and I saw that it was Larten who was trying to wake me up.**

**I turned around in Larten's coffin tired and exhausted.**

"**Why did you wake me? I was having a good dream" I complained.**

"**You have chores to do remember and you have to leave here before Arra sees you coming out of my quarters" Larten said.**

"**Oh right yeah I forgot about that" I said as I stretched myself and stepped out of Larten's coffin. I bunged on some clean clothes and headed to the Hall of Kheldon Lurt where the food was served.**

**I grabbed a bowlful of hot bat broth as that was all the mountain had to eat but it was quite nice when you ate the bread with it and it tasted even better if you washed it down with ale or beer. **

**I saw Arra sitting alone so I joined her on her table.**

"**Evening Miss Sails" I said politely as I set my bowl down on the table.**

"**Where the hell were you yesterday? I was looking everywhere for you" Arra snapped.**

"**I was um hunting" I lied.**

"**Oh really, what are those marks on your neck?" Arra asked.**

"**What's what?" I asked trying to act all innocent.**

"**If you were hunting then where did those love bites come from?" Arra asked sternly.**

"**I was given them yesterday" I admitted.**

"**Who did that to you? They look sore" Arra said.**

"**Actually they're fine and who do you think gave them to me?" I asked.**

"**Sophie I will never understand why you won't talk to me honestly. I don't care if you were with Larten but just be honest about it" Arra said.**

"**Alright fine I admit it. I slept in his quarters yesterday and I woke up there this evening" I said.**

"**Judging by the size of those bites you must have had a pretty good night" Arra said.**

"**It was satisfactory and Larten was so good to me" I said.**

"**Did you go all the way?" Arra asked.**

"**I think so. I had his semen all over me when we had finished" I said.**

"**That is quite common. I didn't hear you scream though" Arra said.**

"**I didn't come that powerfully but when he licked me out I let out a gasp or two" I said.**

"**Oh right. Is those the only bites that you have?" Arra asked me.**

"**No I have a trail of them all down my body and my shirt was slashed into pieces" I said.**

"**That is so typical of Larten to do that. That is so like him" Arra commented.**

"**Well I liked it and I am sorry if I have dishonoured you in any way" I said.**

"**It is fine Sophie. I have Prince Mika now so I am pretty damn lucky really" Arra said.**

"**I heard you the other night screaming out for more. Vanez heard you too and so did Larten. None of us slept" I said.**

"**Was it that loud?" Arra asked surprised.**

"**Miss Sails the whole mountain knows and they all heard you" I replied.**

"**Oh that was not my intention but when a guy is that good you can't help yourself" Arra said.**

"**Well I guess so but I don't really know about that yet" I said.**

"**Oh believe me you will do when Larten is in full swing and on top form you will be begging him for more" Arra said.**

"**Is he really that good?" I asked.**

"**Sophie he is the best in the mountain except for Mika" Arra said.**

"**So I have got something to look forward to then?" I asked.**

"**Yes you have and you can tell Larten from me that I give permission for you two to be together and I order you to be happy" Arra said.**

"**Thanks so much Miss Sails" I said.**

"**It is Arra to you now as we are friends" Arra replied.**

"**Cool. Are you sure that you don't mind?" I asked.**

"**No I don't mind at all as long as you try to be a good assistant and you are always loving and faithful to Larten as I don't want him to be hurt as I do like him but I am not in love with him like we were fifty years ago" Arra said.**

"**I swear that I will never hurt Larten and I will always be loving, loyal and faithful to him and I will always be a good assistant to you" I said.**

"**I am glad to hear that. Now go and have fun you have the night off" Arra said and then she smiled which is something that she didn't do very often.**

"**Really you are giving me the night off?" I asked surprised.**

"**Yes, go and do what you like but mind that you are ready to work tomorrow night and work hard too" Arra said.**

"**Yes Arra" I said and I left to go and tell Larten of Arra's kindness towards me. **

**I found Larten in a storeroom searching for a decent dagger as his was not very good.**

"**Evening" I said shyly.**

"**Evening" Larten replied.**

"**Guess what?" I said.**

"**What?" Larten said.**

"**Arra has given me the night off, she has given me permission to be with you and she has ordered me to be happy" I replied happily.**

"**Are you being serious?" Larten asked.**

"**Of course I am being serious. We are free but Arra has told me that if I have the night off tonight I have to work extra hard tomorrow" I replied.**

"**That is common practice. I have to give Darren a lesson but it can wait until tomorrow. We could spend the evening together if you wanted to" Larten replied.**

"**I am still recovering from yesterday Larten but I would like to spend some time with you" I said.**

"**Then it is settled we will spend this night together and when the dawn comes we will spend that together also" Larten replied.**

"**Alright it sounds fun" I said grinning from ear to ear at the prospect.**

**I then left the storeroom and I went to the only place that I could have fun; I went to the Halls of Sport. Larten followed me like some crimson shadow walking at my side with his arm around me. **

"**Hey Sophie, do you wanna duel?" Vanez asked me. **

"**Of course I do. I am getting pretty good at it now" I replied.**

"**Who would you like to duel?" Vanez asked me.**

"**Anybody who challenges me" I replied simply.**

"**Would you duel even if that challenge comes from Arra?" Vanez asked.**

"**Of course I would duel my mentor Vanez, she has given me the night off anyway so I can do as I please tonight" I said smiling.**

"**Is that why you are hanging around Larten?" Vanez asked.**

"**I am not hanging around I am just spending the evening with my mate" Larten said in his usual tone.**

"**So you two are together now then?" Vanez asked.**

"**As of yesterday officially" I said proudly.**

"**That is good but don't let it stand in the way of your duties as the last time Larten had a mate she did no work and she walked around like she owned the place" Vanez said.**

"**Oh did I really do that?" Arra's stern voice said from behind Vanez.**

"**Yes you did Arra and you acted like you owned the place, you did no work, you were out hunting constantly, you kept everybody awake with your loud cries for more when you were in bed and you showed your mentor little respect" Vanez said.**

"**My now ex mate was going to be made a Prince or so I thought and I was enjoying my privileges that is all and as for being too noisy in bed you are just the same when you have Jane in your quarters so don't go there" Arra replied.**

"**Fine, was there something that you wanted Arra?" Vanez asked.**

"**Yes one of the wooden planks on the Bars is loose and another one is rotten and it has a split in it, can you repair it please?" Arra asked.**

"**I can do that right now for you. It is a good job that you didn't duel on there Sophie as it could have gone wrong" Vanez replied.**

"**I know that Vanez" I said.**

**Just then Prince Mika turned up.**

"**Hello everybody" Prince Mika said, he seemed happy.**

"**Evening Sire" I said quietly.**

"**You must be Sophie, I have heard about you and your journey here" Prince Mika said.**

"**Oh have you?" I asked surprised.**

"**Yes and I know about you two as well" Prince Mika said disapprovingly at Larten and I.**

"**What is wrong with our relationship?" I asked.**

"**Nothing is wrong but you should have asked for consent before you went ahead and did what you did Larten. You know that" Prince Mika said.**

"**I acted in haste and I did not consider our traditions but we are happy together" Larten said.**

"**What traditions?" I asked.**

"**Well traditionally a newly blooded vampiress must ask her mentor for permission to take a mate if the mentor does not pick for her and then she must get the approval of the Princes so that she does not end up with someone who is below her standing in the Clan" Prince Mika said.**

"**Oh I didn't realise that. I do have my mentor's consent but I did not know that I needed to ask the Princes too" I said innocently.**

"**Well luckily for you Arra asked us on your behalf and we all consent to your match as we all know what you have done for us.**

**As you were nearly invested as a Prince Larten you have good standing. Also Sophie because your current mentor Arra is Larten's ex mate she also has good standing which means that you have it by default" Prince Mika explained. **

"**Well that is news to my ears. What does it mean?" I asked.**

"**It means Sophie that the Clan has to respect you and it means that you have to uphold the good reputation of the Clan" Prince Mika said.**

"**How do I do that?" I asked.**

"**You have to live cleanly you must obey the rules of the Clan, you cannot kill unless it is necessary and you must always stay loyal to us and please remember that your actions reflect upon your mentor and she can be judged by your behaviour" Larten explained. **

"**Oh right and I guess that my actions have consequences for you too as my mate" I said.**

"**Yes they certainly do as you have to represent me and you have to honour me as if you do not then I too can be judged and I could lose the respect of the Clan if my mate is not suitably behaved" Larten said.**

"**So I have a lot resting on my shoulders. I have to serve you as your assistant Arra, I have to stay loyal and faithful to you Larten and I have to uphold both of your good names" I said as it dawned on me how important my place in the Clan actually was.**

"**Are you up to the challenge?" Arra asked.**

"**I will do my very best for all of you and I will prove myself worthy to be here" I replied.**

"**That is good to hear, welcome to the Clan Sophie" Prince Mika said.**

"**Thanks Sire" I replied.**

"**I doubt Mr Tall would have sent you here if he had any concerns" Larten said.**

"**Well I am glad that he did send me as I have been here for one week and I've already made a good first impression" I said.**

"**As long as you keep it up you'll be fine but enough of business for one night go and entertain yourselves" Prince Mika said and he smiled which was something that Vampire Princes never did.**

**I hopped upon the Bars and Arra challenged me since the Bars had now been repaired.**

"**This will be a good match" I said.**

"**I think so" Arra replied.**

**Vanez was refereeing our match. Larten and Prince Mika stood at the bottom of the Bars and looked up at us.**

"**Remember what I taught you Sophie keep calm and focus" Larten called up to me.**

"**Arra you need no advice from me but give her hell up there anyway" Prince Mika replied.**

"**Duellists ready?" Vanez asked.**

"**I nodded confidently and Arra did the same.**

"**Salute and begin" Vanez said so we knocked our staves together and then my duel started.**

**Arra came at me like a demon, she launched an attack straight at me so I ducked and blocked as best as I could before I retaliated with a vicious little combination move that Arra had not expected me to perform. I jumped up to dodge a sweeping strike and I returned another direct hit which dazed Arra but she still fought on regardless. I was enjoying my duel and Arra was very good however I had been trained by her so I knew her moves like the back of my hand and I knew how to counter every strike that she used which Arra had not expected. **

"**Come on Arra finish her off" Prince Mika called out.**

"**Sophie just focus and remember what I showed you yesterday" Larten replied.**

**I kept my nerve and I continued my blocking strategy which was working so far. Arra had not made any direct hits but I had made several and it was taking its toll on Arra. **

**Arra had not expected me to be able to block her best combinations but I could with little effort and then my opening came. Arra made a stupid error by leaving her head open to a strike whilst she was performing another move that would bring her up to my level and as I was on a higher bar than her I was in the perfect position to deliver the killer blow to her which I did. **

**I struck Arra hard on top of her head with one of her signature moves that was called a "skull cracker" with good reason as it could literally crack somebody's skull in half. **

**Arra saw what was coming and she rammed her staff up to block the move but I was too quick and struck her just as she bought her staff up to block me, the direct hit left Arra wobbling around as she tried to regain her balance but with one final side strike I finished her and she went crashing to the ground. Arra landed on the ground with a thud and I stood there looking down on her for I was victorious. **

"**Wow what a feeling" I said to myself as the adrenaline kicked in. **

**Arra looked up at me, she was wobbling on her feet and she was obviously concussed but she was alright.**

"**I'll get you for that Sophie you see if I don't" Arra said.**

"**I beat you fairly Arra" I replied.**

"**Prince Mika looked up at me with a stunned look on his face as he had not expected me to win but he gave me my dues.**

"**Well done Sophie a worthy victory" Prince Mika said as he tended to Arra who had to go to the medical wing. **

"**Yes well done, that was a good, clean fight" Larten replied. **

"**Well my victory is your doing because you trained me well" I said.**

"**I trained you to duel and to survive but that is all. You did the rest" Larten replied as he hugged me up on the Bars in celebration of my victory.**

"**Are you hurt at all?" Larten asked me.**

"**No, I took a bit of a battering but I'm fine thanks unlike Arra who will be sore for a while" I said.**

"**You did what had to be done, you fought with honour and there is no shame in winning" Larten said as we left the Bars and exited the Halls of Sport**

"**I should go and see Arra, she is my mentor after all" I said.**

"**Yes we should both go" Larten agreed. **

**We set off down the long twisting corridor and headed for the medical wing where Arra had staggered with Prince Mika's help. **

"**What is the nature of your injury?" The medic asked when I arrived.**

"**Oh I'm not hurt I'm here to see Arra" I said.**

"**Follow me you two" The medic said and we followed him to Arra's medical bay where she was resting.**

"**Hi Arra, did I hurt you badly?" I asked sounding genuinely concerned.**

"**No luckily I escaped with bad bruising and a concussion" Arra said.**

"**I am sorry" I said meekly.**

"**Don't apologise for a fine victory" Arra snapped.**

"**You said you were going to get me for it" I commented.**

"**I was dazed, you won fair and square well done my assistant" Arra said as she shook my hand.**

"**Thanks" I said.**

"**Larten what do you want?" Arra asked.**

"**I came to see if you are OK. I was worried as you are still my friend regardless of what you say to me" Larten replied.**

"**Well it was nice of you to drop by but now I want to sleep. I'll see you both in a couple of days when I've recovered and Sophie I have no specific jobs for you but you may have to do my duties as I am in here. Larten will help you out" Arra said.**

"**Oh alright I'll see you soon Arra" I said and I left leaving Arra and Larten alone in the medical bay.**

**I waited outside and I heard them talking.**

"**Larten, I trust you to take care of my assistant whilst I'm in here. Help her out with my jobs and I do still care for you but I'm with Prince Mika now so I cannot be as friendly towards you as what I would like to be" Arra said.**

"**Would Prince Mika be jealous?" Larten asked.**

"**No but I have to be loyal to him as you know" Arra replied.**

"**No matter what we will always be bonded together as I took your innocence from you and that meant something and it still does" Larten replied.**

"**It means something to me but we have our own mates now and we cannot go back to how it was" Arra said.**

"**I know but I do miss you Arra and I miss your body" Larten said.**

"**I miss you too but there is nothing that we can do" Arra said.**

"**No there is not but we are always going to be the best of friends" Larten said.**

"**Yes and we have our memories that no-one can take away from us" Arra replied.**

"**I remember those ten years like it was yesterday. I remember the battles, I remember the night we got together, I remember our last ever night together. I still wear the necklace that you gave me and you still have that ring on" Larten commented. **

"**What this ring?" Arra asked as she looked at it.**

"**Yes that ring" Larten confirmed.**

"**I totally forgot about it until now. I do remember vaguely what happened though" Arra said.**

"**I remember everything Arra and I regret not trying harder to make it work between us" Larten replied.**

"**I have no regrets but I will never understand why you left me for Truska and the Cirque Du Freak with that damn spider of yours" Arra replied sharply.**

"**I was confused but that was fifty years ago and I kept my promise to you. I promised to return and I have returned" Larten said as he stood up and got ready to leave the medical bay.**

"**Yes you did keep your promise to me but you haven't kept the second promise that you made to me. That was that when you returned you would hold me close to you and you would kiss me for you would have apparently missed me or so you told me" Arra said. **

"**Did I promise that to you Arra? I cannot remember that" Larten said.**

"**Yes you did promise that to me in front of Seba and Vanez before Gavnur came over to us and then you left with him and you did not even say goodbye" Arra replied.**

"**I cannot recall such an incident but I remember you standing there crying and I remember that I walked past you and then that was it" Larten said.**

"**Yes you left me standing there crying and in the end Prince Vancha came over and held me and then everybody else around held me close to them and they all said how heartless you were" Arra said. **

"**I apologise for my lack of feelings but I was struggling to keep it together, I wanted to cry too but I was too busy to notice and I shut my own feelings out so that I could focus on the journey that I had" Larten admitted.**

"**You wanted to cry too? Well why did you leave if it hurt you?" Arra asked.**

"**I was a fool to leave you and you are right to be angry with me and I have regretted it ever since but it has been so long that our feelings for each other have changed somewhat since then" Larten said.**

"**Mine have not changed I just moved on so that I would not be lonely anymore" Arra admitted.**

"**But you said earlier that you were not in love with me anymore" Larten replied.**

"**I know what I said and I was just trying to deny the truth as I was hurting" Arra said.**

"**Well that is true with me as well but we are better off as friends now as it is less complicated" Larten said.**

"**So we love each other but we cannot be together as it is complicated" Arra replied.**

"**Arra, why are you digging up the past? I do not love you like I once did but I do have feelings for you still" Larten said.**

"**Why are you denying the truth? I can see it in your eyes Larten. I know that you do love me but you are scared to admit it" Arra replied.**

"**Fine I admit it, I do still love you but it is just too complicated" Larten said.**

"**Well Prince Mika and Sophie can get together instead and we can go back to how it was" Arra replied.**

"**No Arra I will not hurt Sophie like that" Larten said.**

"**So you don't love me as much as you say that you do then if you won't leave my assistant for me" Arra commented.**

"**I will not hurt Sophie and Prince Mika would surely kill us both if he heard this stupidity" Larten replied firmly.**

"**So you won't get back with me even though you secretly want to?" Arra asked.**

"**I cannot do it Arra. It is not fair on Sophie" Larten said.**

"**But it is not fair on you to deny yourself true love if that is what it is" Arra responded sadly.**

"**Arra I do not know what to say. You are right of course as always" Larten said.**

"**Say nothing and just kiss me like you used to do. If you still love me then the kiss will feel right but if you love Sophie then it won't feel right and I will forget about this" Arra said.**

**So I watched in horror as Larten and Arra kissed each other with some kind of hidden desire that they had kept hidden from me and Prince Mika.**

"**Well who is it?" Arra asked.**

"**That kiss felt like my missing puzzle piece Arra but I still cannot hurt Sophie" Larten replied, he was obviously confused.**

"**Oh Larten you are impossible. If you are that confused then just pick one of us and stick to it hard as it is" Arra replied.**

"**Fine Arra I choose…." Larten said before me and Prince Mika burst in on Larten and Arra who were still holding each other.**

"**What the hell is this?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**Yes Larten you lying, cheating pig, what the hell is wrong with you?" I asked furiously.**

"**Were you kissing in here?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**Yes we were" Larten admitted.**

"**How dare you do that to us? You know that we have to uphold our good standing. This is totally unacceptable" Prince Mika said.**

"**I was struggling with my conscience as I still love Arra but I do not want to hurt you Sophie" Larten replied.**

"**I am the same Mika. I love Larten too. I was a fool to deny it to myself but we cannot help it" Arra replied.**

"**Well it is tough. You are with me Arra and Larten your duty is to be with Sophie now regardless of your feelings and that is an order" Prince Mika said.**

"**Yes Sire" Larten said.**

"**I understand" Arra said.**

"**Right now stick to it and please don't make me take it further because I can separate you two if I have to. I can order you to stay away from each other and you have to obey me but I don't want to do that to either of you" Prince Mika said sternly.**

"**Please don't do that. We'll be good and we'll forget this nonsense" Arra pleaded.**

"**I will also respect your orders Sire no matter how hard they are to follow" Larten said, he looked very upset.**

**I looked at both Larten and Arra and they were both struggling not to cry. I could see it in their eyes. Then I did something very selfless.**

"**Larten I release you from our mateship. I can't see you this upset as it tears me apart inside" I said.**

"**Sophie what are you doing?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**I am doing the right thing and it hurts me but it hurts more to see these two so upset" I replied.**

"**That is so selfless of you Sophie; you are putting your own feelings aside so that your mate can be happy" Prince Mika said.**

"**I have to do the right thing as these two are meant to be together. Can't you see it Sire?" I asked.**

**Prince Mika took a look at Arra and then he looked at Larten, they were lost in each other's eyes holding each other close like they were not ever going to see each other again.**

"**Alright Arra I release you from our mateship" Prince Mika said.**

**Then Larten and Arra looked at us and nodded their thanks to us.**

"**What happens to us now?" I asked Prince Mika.**

"**We can be together or we can find new mates altogether" Prince Mika replied as we left the medical wing. **

"**It hurts Sire" I said.**

"**I know it does but we did the right thing and sometimes sacrifices of the heart must be made for the greater good" Prince Mika said.**

"**I don't want to be lonely Sire, I want a mate" I said.**

"**Then mate with me and then happiness can blossom out of this sadness" Prince Mika said.**

"**I am not sure if I love you or not though" I said.**

"**I am not sure if I love you either but there is no harm in giving it a go and if it doesn't work out we can find other people" Prince Mika said.**

"**OK I'll give you a shot Sire" I replied and took his hand as we walked back into the Hall of Kheldon Lurt where most of the socialising was done. **

**All of the Generals stared at us and vampires like Gavnur wanted to know what was up with us so we explained what had taken place in the medical wing. **

"**You actually surrendered your mateship so that your mentor and Larten would be happy? That is such a nice thing to do" Gavnur said.**

"**It hurts me Gavnur but seeing those two totally lost in each other and hurting because they couldn't be together was heart wrenching to watch" I replied.**

"**I bet it was but it was still a shock. What happens now then?" Gavnur asked.**

"**Well Prince Mika and I have decided to become mates and see how it goes, we may suit each other or we may not but I had to repay Arra for her kindness" I replied.**

"**I see well good luck to both of you anyway, I hope that it works out for you" Gavnur said.**

"**Thanks Gavnur" I replied.**

"**So, can I call you Mika now?" I asked.**

"**Of course you can Sophie my angel" Prince Mika said as we shared our first public kiss which felt strange as I was used to Larten but it made me happy too. **

"**Are you OK now Sophie?" Prince Mika asked me.**

"**I was OK anyway but it will take some getting used to. However looking on the brighter side of the moon at least now I get privileges and I can sit on your throne" I said naughtily.**

"**Yes you can sit there any time you like. I'll look after you Sophie and I will never be unfaithful to you" Prince Mika said.**

"**That is good to know my love" I replied.**

"**We get on well don't we?" Prince Mika commented.**

"**I think that it is OK so far but it will be interesting to know what you can do to me when we are alone together" I laughed.**

"**Yes just wait and see Sophie but that is only part of it. As the mate of a Prince you have certain privileges but you have to be careful about how you act as what you do reflects upon me. However you do have a very high standing now and nobody can force you to do anything" Prince Mika said.**

"**Am I still Arra's assistant?" I asked.**

"**Yes but let her and Larten have some time together to catch up before you go and ask her about duties. I will take care of you in the meantime" Prince Mika said as we arrived at the Prince's Dome.**

"**Here we are Sophie. This is where I spend most of my time" Prince Mika said.**

"**It is nice in here Mika" I said as I sat on one of the vacant thrones which were very comfortable I have to say.**

"**Do you want to see my quarters?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**Yes, let's see where I'm going to be sleeping" I replied sounding excited.**

"**This way my love" Prince Mika said as he unlocked the door of the Prince's personal quarters.**

"**Here we are, this is where I sleep and this is where you'll be sleeping too my angel" Prince Mika said as he showed me into his luxury quarters that had carpet on the floor rather than plain stone tiles, weapons racks and tapestries on the walls, portraits were hanging up and his coffin looked pretty comfortable too. **

"**Wow you Princes know how to decorate" I said as I looked around.**

"**I know we do. I even have my own fireplace and we get to pick exactly what food we want and we always get the best, freshest blood" Prince Mika replied.**

"**Well that is good to know as that other stuff was making me feel ill" I said.**

"**It was probably going sour and sour blood can kill you if it is too far gone. Try this instead and taste the difference" Prince Mika said as he handed me a goblet full of dark red liquid which I drunk quickly.**

"**That was good stuff" I commented.**

"**That was fresh human blood and nothing beats it either" Prince Mika said.**

"**I agree with that. Let's have a toast to our mateship, to my selflessness and to the Clan" I said. **

"**Yes I agree, to all of those things" Prince Mika said as we drunk our toast.**

"**Right now what do we do?" I asked.**

"**Whatever we want, we are free to act as we wish" Prince Mika said. **

"**We can go and play cards or we could stay in here and get to know each other better" I said.**

"**I'd like to get to know you better if that's OK with you?" Prince Mika said.**

"**Of course it's OK. I want to know about the guy that I am going to be sleeping next to everyday" I replied.**

"**Well my full name is Mika Ver Leth, I am two hundred and forty four and I have been a Prince for seventy years now, physically I am in my thirties however and I don't know if Arra told you this but I am well known in the mountain for being good at satisfying ladies" Prince Mika said.**

"**Well my full name is Sophie Anne Myers, I am twenty three and I joined the Cirque Du Freak five years ago as a stage hand after Mr Tall saved my life.**

**My parents threw me out and left me to fend for myself so that they could continue taking drugs and drinking heavily.**

**I joined the Cirque Du Freak because I had a run in with this evil guy named Murlough who brutally attacked me and kept me hostage until Mr Tall came and rescued me.**

**Now I have come here to the mountain. I've been here for a week and I'm settling in nicely so far" I said.**

"**Right well you are welcome here Sophie and we will always take good care of you" Prince Mika said.**

"**Well I am sure that Mr Tall will be glad to hear that" I replied.**

"**Yes he will be when I write and tell him" Prince Mika said.**

"**Can you read and write then?" I asked.**

"**Yes I am one of the few who can. I did go to school before I went out to work and it is just as well that I can read and write as hardly anybody here can" Prince Mika said.**

"**Who else can read and write except us?" I asked.**

"**Arra can read and write in English and in Russian and she speaks the Baltic languages quite well. Larten can read certain words, he can sign his name and he like Arra also speaks the Baltic languages, Gavnur can't read or write at all but he can speak French fluently and I'm not sure about the others except Darren who can of course read and write too" Prince Mika said.**

"**Well that is good to know for future reference" I replied.**

"**Well maybe I will invest in a Russian dictionary and surprise Arra when I speak to her in fluent Russian" I said.**

"**Well you could help translate what she says to Larten as they always talk in Russian to each other and it's confusing for us as we haven't got a clue what they are saying" Prince Mika said.**

"**Well maybe they don't want people knowing what they are saying. It might be obscene for all we know" I replied.**

"**That is a good point Sophie, I didn't think of that" Prince Mika said.**

"**Maybe they discuss their nights together and what they want to do to each other when they are alone which is none of our business" I said.**

"**That's possible but vampires have no secrets from each other" Prince Mika replied.**

"**Well do you want to hear obscene, explicit conversations?" I asked.**

"**Not really Sophie" Prince Mika answered. **

"**Good, anyway I'm bored Mika" I complained.**

"**Well let's see what I can do to entertain you then" Prince Mika said as he ripped of his robes and his shirt to reveal his well-toned body and he was hot! I mean seriously he had a six pack to die for. Prince Mika looked like one of those bodybuilder models that you see in magazines and on TV (and I thought that Larten had a nice body) but compared to Prince Mika there was no comparison. **

"**Wow you are really fit" I said.**

"**I know, I used to work out all the time and now I have something to show for my hard work" Prince Mika said.**

"**I like what I see. Arra was an idiot to give this up but she loves Larten so what can I say? And by the way you are hotter than Larten" I replied.**

"**I know that I am. Everybody says that I am the fittest vampire here and now that I'm yours everybody will be so jealous" Prince Mika said. **

"**Well then Mika. What can you do with your hot body?" I asked naughtily.**

"**I can do things to you that you could never imagine" Prince Mika said as he ran a hand through his sleek black hair. **

"**Well let's see what you can do then Mika" I said.**

**At this point Prince Mika lifted me up and carried me over to his coffin, he placed me into it and then he got in beside me. It was surprisingly large as coffins go. I lay down in the coffin and I got comfortable next to Prince Mika who was very warm which was nice because I was still cold. We started to kiss and I felt instantly connected to my new mate, the kiss deepened and I ran my hands all over Prince Mika's body as I had never felt so many muscles against my skin. We rolled over and Prince Mika began to play with my clothing, he ripped my borrowed shirt off and then he pulled my trousers down so that he could get to the sensitive parts of my body. Prince Mika moved down on me and I moved upwards so that he could get to my clitoris which he licked and that made a tingling sensation shoot through my spine, this was better than what Larten had been to me. I was getting excited and I was writhing around because it felt that good. I could do nothing but enjoy this attention.**

"**Ah Mika that is so damn good" I said between gasps for more whilst I tried not to be too loud. **

**Then the orgasm hit me and I was shaking violently as wave after wave of pleasure shot through my body and Prince Mika wasn't done yet, he moved up until he was level with me, he kissed me with such a fierce passion and then he entered me. It was slow at first but then we got into a rhythm, we synchronised our movements and our breathing which was more like panting as Prince Mika went deeper and faster until he released his load deep inside my body and then we just lay there kissing passionately until Prince Mika was ready for another round which was even more powerful. **

**Unlike humans vampires can keep sex going and they can come several times before they stop so Prince Mika was more than capable of releasing more of his fluids inside me until he met his aim which was to make me scream out his name loudly between gasping for air and asking for more of my mate's love as it really was that good. **

**Eventually I just collapsed and I slept well as I was exhausted but it had been such a great experience for us both and I was pleased that I had found my place in the Clan and I was happy, warm and safe.**

**I woke up the next evening, I was still in Prince Mika's arms and he was asleep. I readjusted myself as I was a bit uncomfortable but I soon got comfortable again. The only thing was that when I moved Prince Mika stirred and he woke up. I stretched and sat up. I was very sleepy but I was OK and I felt safe for the first time in a long time.**

"**Morning my angel, did you sleep well?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**Yes I did sleep well, sorry if I disturbed you" I replied.**

"**That's OK I should be up now anyway as I have another night of business to attend to. You can do what you like whilst I'm attending to my Prince's duties and then I'll join you later in the Halls for food" Prince Mika said.**

"**Alright that's cool. Arra will not be happy that my clothes have been slashed into pieces as they were hers" I replied.**

"**Well there is plenty of clothing in that storeroom, you may have whatever you like and give Arra something to replace that top**

"**Alright I will do. Thanks Mika" I said happily as I got dressed.**

"**You're welcome my angel and I got this for you. I hope that you like it" Prince Mika said as he pulled out a small box from the pocket of his robes and he handed it to me.**

**I opened the box and inside was a ring that had a rather large stone set into it.**

"**Oh wow I don't deserve this but I love it Mika" I said as I put my new ring on. It shone brightly in the torchlight and I wondered what the stone was.**

"**That is an emerald that has been cut and faceted; as such it is worth quite a bit of money Sophie so please look after it" Prince Mika said.**

"**Of course I'll look after it. I love it. Thanks so much" I replied and I couldn't help but smile.**

"**Being a Prince's mate has its perks as you will find out later" Prince Mika said as I sat upon his throne and looked regal as if I was owned the place. **

"**I see that you like my throne Sophie. It is rather comfortable" Prince Mika said, I stood up and he sat down on it so I sat upon his lap instead just as the other Princes arrived to discuss their business. **

"**Sophie what are you doing sitting there?" One burly, stern looking Prince asked me.**

"**I am sitting on my mate's lap. Is that a problem for you?" I asked.**

"**Oh I'm sorry I didn't know that you two were together. There is no problem it was just a surprise that's all. I'm Prince Arrow by the way" Prince Arrow said.**

"**It's a pleasure to meet you Sire" I said and shook his hand.**

"**Likewise Sophie it is a pleasure to meet you" Prince Arrow replied.**

"**I'm starving Mika so I'm going to go and eat something" I said as I stood up.**

"**Alright you can tell the cook from me that you can have whatever you like, make sure that it is fresh and you can eat at the Prince's High Table if you like" Prince Mika said.**

"**Cool, I'll see you lot later then" I said and I left the Prince's Dome and I headed back to the Hall of Osca Velm so that I could eat something. **

**I exited the Prince's Dome and I walked down one of the many long corridors that there were in the mountain, I got hopelessly lost as all of the corridors looked the same. I heard somebody talking so I walked along the corridor until I bumped into two vampires who were discussing a battle that they had been in a few years before.**

"**Excuse me, can either of you point me in the direction of the Hall of Osca Velm? I'm new here and I'm totally lost" I said.**

"**Yes, if you follow this corridor, turn left at the end, go up the stairs and walk down the long passageway you'll find the East entrance" One of the vampires said.**

"**Thanks for your help" I said.**

"**Not a problem Miss Myers or is it Madam Ver Leth now?" The vampire asked.**

"**No its Sophie actually but Miss Myers is fine" I said as I left the corridor. I followed the helpful vampire's instructions and sure enough I found myself at the Hall of Osca Velm but by the time I got there I wished that I had gone another way for I saw two vampires in the corridor against the wall making out without a care in the world. In fact they were so into each other that they didn't notice me walk past or anybody else either, their names Arra and Larten.**

**I entered the Hall and grabbed a bowlful of fresh soup, it wasn't bad either and it was better than bat broth which always repeated on me. I sat at the Prince's High Table as it felt right. As I was tucking in to my soup I saw Gavnur coming towards me.**

"**Hey Gavnur you'll never guess what I saw in the corridor out there" I said and I pointed.**

"**What was that?" Gavnur asked.**

"**Larten and Arra were making out heavily like they had not seen each other for years. They were so into it that they didn't notice me walk past" I said.**

"**This I have to see" Gavnur said and he raced out into the corridor. **

**I continued eating my soup and a few minutes later Gavnur came back into the Hall laughing his head off. **

"**Did you see them?" I asked.**

"**Yes, they looked kind of cute really or they did until I held my sword up to Larten's throat, he grabbed hold of it, twisted it from my grip and then after a lot of cursing and shouting they both flitted out of the entrance and outside somewhere" Gavnur said. **

"**Well, it's their own fault as public displays like that are gross" I said.**

"**I agree" Gavnur said.**

"**Vampires should have more propriety and more respect than that" I commented.**

"**I think that you're right, I don't do that with my mate so why should they?" Gavnur replied.**

"**I know that you wouldn't catch Mika and me doing that, it's just not done" I said.**

"**Those two have probably flitted into the woods or something and that is the best place for them if they want to do stuff like that" Gavnur said.**

"**That's what I think" I said in agreement.**

"**It must have been funny though, I have not heard language that foul for a while" I said with a sly smile. **

"**Neither have I and Larten cut his hand up badly when he grabbed my sword by the blade, he is an idiot sometimes" Gavnur replied.**

**Meanwhile somewhere in the woods**

**Larten's Point of View**

**I was in the woods. Arra was just behind me and we had flitted out of the mountain corridor and out into the open air just to get away from that damn Gavnur Purl. I was fuming but at least my beloved Arra was with me and my heart was pounding almost as hard as what it does when I am in battle with those loathed vampaneze. **

**I always get like this when Arra is with me, my adrenaline pulses through me and my whole face lights up when she is with me. My only one true love is Arra, I was a fool to give her up and now I had to try and win Arra back somehow which was not going to be easy. **

"**What the Hell was Gavnur thinking? I am going to kill him when I see him next" I said angrily as I rubbed spit into the wound on my hand to heal it.**

"**That man is a total passion killer. I've never met a guy who is so annoying" Arra replied.**

"**I shall skin him alive you see if I do not" I replied as I swung my sword round with great skill.**

"**No you can't do that as if you kill him you will die too and I can't be without you again" Arra said.**

"**But Arra he is such an arsehole" I said.**

"**I know darling but just forget him as we are together and it's not like we didn't deserve it. We should have had more manners" Arra said.**

"**You are right of course, where were we anyway before we were rudely interrupted?" I asked.**

"**We were in the corridor kissing deeply" Arra replied.**

"**There is no-one here to disturb us now Arra" I said.**

"**I'm not up for it now, the moment was ruined" Arra said.**

"**You are such a bloody tease. I wanted to take you then and there but I guess that I will not be doing that now" I said.**

"**Well it's a bit pointless as we are not in the moment now and anyway its bloody cold out here" Arra said.**

"**Arra, why do you tease me so much? Anyway we will be the laughing stock of the whole mountain when we go back if Gavnur has anything to do with it" I complained.**

"**Well if he says anything I'll challenge him on the Bars and crack his skull in half for his insolence" Arra replied.**

"**Arra, am I not going to get anything tonight?" I said.**

"**You have had more than enough" Arra said with her naughtiest look.**

"**Arra I have not had enough, I am so damn horny right now it is stupid. I mean look at me" I complained.**

"**You are red and you look kind of frustrated and angry at Gavnur but there is no fire in your eyes" Arra said.**

"**Look at my trousers then" I said.**

**So Arra looked down at me and I did look quite uncomfortable around my personal area.**

"**Now do you see what I mean?" I asked.**

"**Yes I do see what you mean" Arra said in reply.**

"**Well can you ease my troubles?" I asked.**

"**Maybe I could but why should I?" Arra asked.**

"**Because I love you and I want to show you that love" I answered.**

"**That's sweet but the answer is no until you convince me otherwise" Arra said in her voice that was so alluring to me that it made my heart thump like a guy on a bass drum. **

"**Arra that is not fair, stop teasing me" I pleaded.**

"**Um, no" Arra said.**

"**Arra I am so bloody horny it is stupid" I complained.**

"**I don't care how horny you are. Convince me why I should give into your demands" Arra replied sharply.**

"**Look Arra I will not force you but I need this, I need you and if you cannot help me then I will not be responsible for my actions. You know what I get like" I said, I was still pleading with Arra but she was having none of it. I knew that I had hurt her badly and now she was making me pay for abandoning her. **

"**Arra I am sorry if I hurt you, I am sorry for leaving you here, I am sorry for not being there for you but does that really mean that I have to go without sex?" I asked, I was sounding really desperate which is not want I wanted at all but I could not help it.**

"**That depends on whether this is serious or if it is just another one of your tricks. I am not sure if I can ever trust you again" Arra said.**

"**I swear that you can trust me. All I want is a fair chance to prove it to you" I replied.**

**Arra took a step towards me, I could see that she was still unsure as to whether she should give into me or not but she had missed me and she was longing for my touch I could tell, it was that very same touch that had kept her safe, warm and satisfied for ten years and Arra didn't want to give it up. **

**I held out my hands for Arra but she ignored them. I took a step closer to her but she stepped back and turned away from me. I was at a loss as to what I could do. I had tried to talk Arra round but it was not good enough and it was not about the sex anymore it was about convincing my mate of my love for her. **

"**Arra I have tried talking to you, I have fought for you and I have even killed for you. How else can I convince you of my love?" I asked.**

"**You cannot convince me but I will have to take a risk and trust you as I have missed you and I am sure that you have missed me too" Arra replied. I was so lost in her eyes, her eyes had allured me and they now shone in the moonlight like a pair of emeralds. I was transfixed by them if I am being totally honest.**

"**So will you give me one more chance?" I asked.**

"**Alright but if you mess it up then that's it and you won't ever get another one" Arra said.**

"**Thank you. I will never let you down and I will love you until the Gods of the Vampires take us into Paradise" I replied.**

"**I am deadly serious about what I have said. One chance is all you are getting and that's it Larten" Arra replied with her usual serious tone. **

"**I am of course very grateful for your mercy but my question is how are we going to reward Sophie for her great act of sacrifice and selflessness towards us?" I asked.**

"**I have no idea but I have never known an assistant do something so honourable for anyone. We owe her big time Larten so we will have to repay her somehow but how?" Arra asked.**

"**I am sure something will present itself but in the meantime we should go back to the mountain and face the music as it were" I replied.**

"**Yes I guess so as it is so cold out here and besides if we go back and face the music now it will die down sooner and if it doesn't we can make ourselves scarce for a few nights like we used to do in the early days" Arra replied.**

"**I agree but I just want to be alone with you" I said as I once again held out my hands for Arra who accepted them this time and I held her close to me for what seemed like an age. **

**I had missed her so much but I am not very good at expressing myself as vampires believe that emotions are a human weakness and we are neither human nor are we weak. **

**We walked back to the mountain and as we walked I looked up at the stars that were shining so brightly that I could not remember a nicer night and the moon was like a big, white orb that lit our path back to the mountain. We walked next to each other and I was even brave enough to put my arm around Arra who did the same to me which again made my heart flit as it was pounding so fast. **

"**I can hear your heart thumping Larten, are you alright?" Arra asked.**

"**I am fine dear; it is you that is making my heart thump. When I am with you my body goes into overdrive and my heart almost flits as it beats so fast" I replied.**

"**Am I really doing that to you?" Arra asked as she stopped and looked into my eyes which instantly made me have to stop and compose myself.**

"**Yes Arra you are making my body do that and I cannot help it. I am so in love that I am finding it hard to keep composed" I replied.**

**Then Arra stood opposite me and I just stood and stared at her. I was under her spell and I could not help but look at her for she had allured me in such a way. **

"**Arra I …" I began but I could not finish my sentence.**

"**Yes?" Arra asked me.**

"**I um I…" I tried to talk but it was impossible.**

"**Have I got your tongue?" Arra asked jokingly.**

"**You have my whole body, my tongue is just a small part" I managed to answer.**

"**Well if I have your tongue then I had better use it then" Arra answered as she kissed me. My head was spinning and I was mesmerised by her skills. It took me a few minutes to return the kiss as I had trouble standing up, I was totally entranced by her; Arra was like a siren and she had me hooked on her. **

**We stayed like that for ages fighting each other for control and I was trying to show off my talents as I wanted Arra so badly to return the favour. **

**We stopped kissing and I was out of breath which is rare for a vampire but it can happen. We continued to head towards the mountain and I was still spinning from Arra's kiss. **

**Nobody could do that to me like she could and I could not wait for the dawn to come as then I would make her mine again, I was going to reclaim her and give her something that she would never forget or regret….. **

**Back in the mountain**

**Sophie's Point of View**

**I was walking around the Halls bored when I saw Larten and Arra re-enter the mountain, they were both looking quite happy and I was glad that Larten had calmed down as when he was angry he was lethal and very scary. **

**I went over to the pair of them because I wanted to know if Arra had any duties or lessons for me as she was still my mentor.**

"**Hi, do I have any lessons or duties coming up?" I asked.**

"**You have duel practice but judging by the way you beat me there is little more that I can teach you. You have lessons but they are not that important as it will soon be the Festival of the Undead and then we will all be relaxing for a few days, we are waiting for the last two vampires to arrive and then the festivities will begin. In the meantime you can do as you wish and I have no need for you at the moment but I will still need you as my assistant" Arra answered.**

"**Oh alright then, I'll take a few nights off and focus on keeping Mika happy" I replied.**

"**That is a plan. I'll help you get your stuff out of my quarters and move it into Prince Mika's quarters. Then I will give you some combat training as we haven't started that yet and there is a lot to learn. You will need a sparring partner too but I'll arrange that" Arra said.**

"**Thanks for your help and I'm happy that you two are so happy. I made the right choice" I replied quietly and I shed a tear or two as I did miss Larten a lot.**

"**Well we both owe you big time for that and we will pay you back for your act of courage. There is no need to be sad though" Arra replied as she passed me a tissue.**

"**I miss you Larten what more can I say? I am crying because I do still feel like I'm in love with you and although I did the right thing I am still hurting deeply" I replied between blowing my nose.**

"**What you did for me was a major sacrifice but it will not go unrewarded. I know that it hurts but it will get better and look at what you have now. You are with a Prince and that is such an honour" Larten said.**

"**I know it is and I'm very honoured but he isn't you and no-one will ever replace you as you are deep within my soul and my heart beats for you and you alone" I admitted.**

"**Are you saying that you do not love Mika?" Arra asked.**

"**No I'm not saying that at all I am just telling you how I feel and how hard I am finding this whole situation" I replied.**

"**I see" Arra said as I let a whole load of new tears flow.**

**Then Prince Mika came over to us.**

"**Are you OK my angel? Why are you crying?" Prince Mika asked me as he held me close to him.**

"**I am just missing Larten that is all, stupid as it is I still have strong feelings for him" I explained.**

"**What about me? Do you not love me?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**I do love you but it is not as strong as the feelings I get when I see Larten. When I see you Larten my whole face lights up and I go all funny inside" I said.**

"**I had noticed" Larten replied.**

"**So what do we do? This whole situation is a mess. My mate is in tears as she clearly loves you still but I love you too Sophie and both of you love each other and it is so damn confusing" Prince Mika said.**

**I stood there and cried, I could not stop myself as it hurt me so much. **

"**You really do love Larten don't you?" Prince Mika asked me.**

"**With every beat of my heart and every piece of my tortured soul yes I do, with every breath I take I love you more and every night I beg that one day we will reunite" I admitted between sobs.**

"**I had no idea that you felt that strongly about me" Larten said.**

"**I had no idea either Sophie" Arra said.**

"**Neither did I" Prince Mika replied.**

"**Why did you do what you did?" Larten asked me.**

"**I felt like I was doing the right thing at the time but that was before I realised realised exactly what you mean to me and it's only now that I've lost you that I realise exactly what I've given up" I said as I cried even more.**

"**Sophie I am lost for words" Larten said.**

"**So am I" Prince Mika said.**

"**What a mess I have caused, maybe it would have been better if I'd never come here as now I'm stuck here with a broken heart and no hope of repairing it" I replied.**

"**Sophie I can see now why you were avoiding us, it hurts you to see us together doesn't it?" Arra asked.**

"**Yes it does, it feels like you are piercing my heart with a dagger and twisting it around" I said.**

"**Wow that is a strong simile" Arra commented.**

"**Yes I know it is" I said.**

"**I feel so guilty for what I have done, I was a fool" Larten said.**

"**No I'm the fool as I made a mistake" I replied.**

"**And so did I for allowing it to happen" Prince Mika said.**

"**What do we do now then?" Larten asked.**

"**There is nothing that we can do. The only solution would be for you two to split up again and for us to go back to how we were" Prince Mika said.**

"**Unless we make arrangements and share partners. There are seven days in a week so how about we all have one week with one partner and then swap over; that is fair" Arra suggested.**

"**That would work, that way all four of us get the best of both worlds" I said.**

"**I think that is the only viable option. That way all of us are happy and there is no rule or law against it" Prince Mika said.**

"**So I split my time between you and Arra and you do the same?" Larten asked.**

"**Yes that is right, we all share each other and we all love one another equally" I replied.**

"**Alright I agree to this weekly swapping if it keeps you happy Sophie as I do have feelings for you too" Larten admitted.**

"**Right well that is sorted; on Thursday we will swap partners for a week and then swap back" Prince Mika said.**

"**Alright then, until Thursday Sophie" Larten said.**

"**Yes, see you" Arra said and they left together.**

"**I am sorry Mika" I said quietly.**

"**What are you apologising for? You can't help the way that you feel" Prince Mika said.**

"**I know I cannot help how I feel but I do so feel like such a traitor as I literally cannot decide between you and Larten so I have had no choice but to do this whole partner swap thing" I said.**

"**Well it's fine with me and I understand as I had a similar situation myself once a long time ago, in the end I took two mates and both of the ladies were very happy until one was killed in battle and the other one left the mountain and she never returned, her bones rest in the Palace of the Damned now as she was killed by a bear" Prince Mika replied.**

"**Oh right that must have been awful for you losing both of your mates" I replied.**

"**It was but I am no stranger to sharing partners and having more than one mate" Prince Mika replied.**

**Arra's Point of View**

"**I had been genuinely upset by Sophie's admissions. I felt very sorry for her as I have never seen anybody cry so much for one person. **

**I had no clue that Sophie had such strong feelings for Larten and she still has his marks on her body. I never would have gone along with her sacrifice otherwise, I was selfish and as her mentor I am supposed to look after her and I have not done that. I am a horrible person"**

**That was what I wrote in my journal that night as that was on my mind more than anything else. I also wrote about our compromise and about us swapping partners weekly as that seemed to be the only solution to our mess. When I went to bed that day I could not sleep. I tried to sleep but I felt so bad for Sophie and the great pain that she was in that I could not bear to sleep next to Larten as it didn't feel right. **

**As much as I loved Larten I could not cope with being the cause of so much heartbreak in such a young vampiress so I lay there awake in my coffin for what seemed like forever. I was stressed and when I am stressed I cannot sleep.**

"**Arra, are you OK?" Larten asked me.**

"**No I'm really stressed out and I am upset as I did not want to cause anyone any pain but poor Sophie has been completely destroyed because of my actions" I said.**

"**I admit that hearing what she said was hard to swallow" Larten replied.**

"**What do we do? I don't even want to lay in this coffin with you as I feel so badly about it, no offence to you" I said. **

"**Well if that is how you feel then I will leave. My feelings for you have not changed and I was so relieved that you decided to give me another chance at our mateship but now after Sophie's outburst earlier I too feel like I made a poor judgement call" Larten replied.**

"**Well then there is nothing more to be said. We love each other deeply but by being together we are hurting the one person that we have to look after, as my assistant I have to look after Sophie and because you love her you feel obliged to help her" I said. **

"**So do we do this whole partner swap thing or not?" Larten asked.**

"**Well it is a solution but when Sophie is not with you I will worry about her wellbeing as she is obviously deeply in love with you and I'd wager that her love for you is stronger than mine is for you" I replied.**

"**I see. Why did you give me another chance if that is the case?" Larten asked.**

"**I am not sure, I missed you so badly when you went away that to have you back in my life was a dream come true but now I'm not so sure" I replied honestly. **

"**Well at least you are honest" Larten said. **

"**I do try to be honourable Larten but it is hard in these circumstances" I answered.**

"**That is true and you have managed so far but it is hard for someone in your position" Larten said.**

"**I agree" I said and I turned over and closed my eyes but I was still awake. I felt Larten pull me close to him and put his arm around me which made me feel safe but awkward.**

"**Good day my love" Larten said.**

"**Good day, see you at sunset" I replied.**

"**I will be here when you wake up" Larten said.**

"**That's if I get any sleep at all, I'm so stressed I cannot sleep" I said. **

"**Well I can help you to forget your stress if you would like me to" Larten said. **

"**It'll make things worse Larten as much as I enjoy it I will regret it" I replied.**

"**Well I had better leave then as I cannot lie in this coffin next to you and not do anything to you as that is torture" Larten replied.**

"**It is not that bad. Sophie is having a rougher time than you and I'm sure that right now she would give anything to be here with you" I said.**

"**I am sure that she would give anything but it is not Thursday for two days yet so she has to wait" Larten said.**

"**Not necessarily Larten. If you went to the Prince's Dome and surprised her that could be her reward in return for what she has done for both of us" I replied.**

"**I could do that. I can just imagine the look on her face if I scooped her up and carried her off to my private quarters" Larten said.**

"**Well it would please her and Prince Mika would understand. I am sure that Sophie would be forever grateful and I'm sure that she would love you even more than what she does now if you were to give yourself to her for the day" I said.**

"**Do you want me to leave you though?" Larten asked as he whispered something rather rude in my ear that I dare not write down.**

"**Sophie needs you more, I can wait as I am not like you" I replied.**

"**Fine I shall go and give Sophie my full attention" Larten said as he left my quarters and went off in search of Sophie.**

**The Prince's Dome **

**Sophie's Point of View**

**I was getting changed and I was about ready to go to bed as I was completely shattered when I saw Larten coming towards me which made my whole body tingle. It was a really funny sensation. **

"**Hi" I said.**

"**Evening, why are you not in bed? It is nearly dawn" Larten asked me.**

"**I was going there when I saw you" I said.**

"**Oh right, well if that is the case you will not want to join me in my quarters then will you?" Larten asked.**

"**Of course I want to join you in your quarters but Prince Mika is waiting for me" I replied.**

"**Oh well if that is the case I will leave" Larten said and he turned away from me.**

"**Wait Larten, I'll go and sort it out" I called out to him.**

**I went into the Prince's private quarters where Prince Mika was waiting for me.**

"**Mika, Larten is here to see me. He has invited me to his quarters, may I go?" I asked.**

"**Well I was hoping to be with you tonight but if you really want to go then I cannot stop you because I know how much Larten means to you" Prince Mika said.**

"**Thank you so much" I said as I hugged and kissed him goodbye.**

**I went back to where Larten was waiting for me and I was still buzzing from having him around me.**

"**Mika says its fine" I said simply.**

"**Well then shall we go?" Larten asked.**

"**Yes" I replied. Larten scooped me up and he carried me off to his quarters which I had not been expecting but it felt good to be carried.**

**At this point another song came into my head which was a song by Delta Goodrem called "Will you Fall for me?"**

"**My head's full of thoughts, thoughts of you and I'm distracted so easily, thinking what to do. I'm so unsure, so unfamiliar, am I wrong do you think that something could happen? Will you fall for me? I need to know now the way I'd like you to but will you fall for me? The way I've fallen for you. I'm not acting like myself and I'm thinking of Larten so my heart's beating so fast I can't stop it and I'm so unsure, so unfamiliar, am I wrong do you think that something could happen?" **

**This song went around and around in my mind and it fitted with the situation, I was nervous but I was excited, I could hear my heart pounding in my ears and there was a lot of adrenaline pulsing through my veins.**

**When we arrived at Larten's quarters I was dying to get inside and show him exactly how much I loved him.**

**Larten opened the door and we entered. I was still in a daze as I could not believe what was about to take place. I had wanted this so badly for so long.**

"**So, Sophie you are here in my quarters, it is dawn and we have feelings for each other. For you this must be a total dream situation" Larten said.**

"**It is a dream and I don't want to wake up from it" I said.**

"**What do you want to do?" Larten asked me.**

"**I want to have you to myself for the day" I replied.**

"**Alright, do you want me to entertain you?" Larten asked.**

"**How can you entertain me?" I asked.**

"**I can do things to your body that will make your head spin and your heart race" Larten replied.**

"**That sounds like fun" I commented.**

"**It will be fun I can promise you that" Larten said.**

"**I don't doubt it. But why are you doing this?" I asked.**

"**I am doing it because I know how much you love me and when someone loves you that much it is hard not to return their feelings" Larten said as he lay down in his coffin and motioned for me to get into it too. **

**I climbed in beside Larten and I sat up next to him. I was shaking with nerves and cold but when Larten put his arm around me I felt instantly safer and I went all tingly inside, I turned my head to face Larten and I inched closer to him until he made the first move and kissed me which of course made me melt inside and after that I just went with it. **

**I slid down the coffin until I was underneath Larten and then I let him do the rest and he was amazing, up until that point in my life I had never had anything so good and as it actually meant something to me which made it feel even better for me.**

**Larten certainly enjoyed it or at least he seemed to but I couldn't really tell as I am not really very experienced when it comes to sex; I mean I know what to do but that is about it and its never that good or at least it wasn't that good until I let Larten show me what he could do to me. **

**Larten had made me very aroused just by kissing me so when he did other stuff to me it made me feel like I was in Paradise as it was just so damn good. **

**I cannot really remember much of it but I can remember screaming out for more and then I can remember the two of us staying joined together for what seemed like an age whilst Larten pulsed in and out of me so that he could release his fluids into me. **

**We rolled over and over again; there was a lot of kissing and touching each other and that was before I was penetrated. **

**I could feel him licking me out and that made me scream again as he was giving me so much pleasure and I needed it so badly from him so that we could strengthen our bond.**

**I wanted Larten to love me as much as I loved him although I wasn't sure if that was ever going to be possible as Larten loved Arra deeply and it didn't take a genius to work that out. **

**It was plain to see that those two belonged together but it was my destiny to be with Larten, I could feel a voice inside myself telling me. **

**We finished mating and then we spoke for a bit afterwards.**

"**So Sophie, did I make you happy?" Larten asked.**

"**Oh yes you made me very happy. That was bloody brilliant" I complimented Larten.**

"**Thank you for your compliment. I did try to make it good for you" Larten replied.**

"**Oh you made it good and I really enjoyed it. I wish that I could be with you for always. I love you so much Larten and it's not just the hormones talking" I said.**

"**I know that you mean every word of that last statement Sophie and it hurts me too as I caused this. I am glad that I was able to please you" Larten replied.**

**We curled up next to each other and I rolled over then Larten put his arm around me protectively. I had been bitten and scratched quite a lot so I was going to be bruised when I woke up but it had been worth it. **

**I woke up in the evening; I yawned and stretched myself as I was quite stiff from the day before as Larten had worn me out and I was really tired. **

"**Morniiiiing" I said quietly.**

"**Morning" Larten replied.**

"**What a day that was" I commented.**

"**Yes, it was rather entertaining" Larten replied.**

"**Well I did my best to please you but I had better get back to Prince Mika as I'm sure that he has missed me" I said as I tried to stand up but I was really weak and my legs hurt.**

"**You cannot go like this, you are really weak. You used a lot of energy yesterday, you need to recover first" Larten said.**

"**I'm fine, I'm just a bit tired" I said as I stood up again and stepped out of the coffin. **

"**Alright fine, go if you want to go but you might need something for those scratches and those bites. I got a bit carried away" Larten said.**

"**I agree that you went overboard" I said as I looked at myself in the mirror. I was covered in bruises on my neck and I had scratches on my back and on my front. **

"**I will heal those scratches for you but you will need something for the bruises from the medical wing" Larten said as he healed my scratches up by licking them. **

"**I'll see to it, I'll see you later" I said as I got dressed and left Larten's quarters. I was heading for the medical wing to get my neck bandaged before I went to see Prince Mika.**

**I got to the medical wing and it was empty except for the medic who was sitting alone going through his box of remedies and counting his herbs. **

"**I need more rose petals" The medic murmured to himself before he looked up and saw me.**

"**Can I help you?" The medic asked.**

"**Well, I've been bruised and as you can see I've had a rough day" I replied. **

"**Well I can fix that for you but it'll take a few nights to heal" The medic said as he got some clean bandages and some sort of cream. **

"**Thanks" I said as I removed my high collar so that the medic could see the extent of the damage.**

"**Will Larten never learn?" The medic asked.**

"**How do you know that it was Larten?" I asked.**

"**I have seen the same bite pattern endless times, it is always the same and it's always young ladies who have it done to them" The medic said as he applied the cream to my neck and wrapped the bandages around it. It felt better almost instantly but it itched a bit.**

"**There now, that should be better for you but do try not to let Larten get into the habit of it as it can cause damage to the skin and if he breaks your skin that too can cause problems" The medic said as I put my high collar back on again before I left to go and see Prince Mika who was probably wondering what the hell had happened to me. **

**I found Prince Mika at the High Table eating so I went over to speak to him. **

"**Evening" I said.**

"**Evening, where the hell have you been?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**I was in the medical wing having bandages and cream applied to my neck" I said.**

"**I see did you have a good time with Larten?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**Yes, hence the bandages and cream on my neck" I replied.**

"**Do you have Larten's marks upon your neck?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**Yes I do as a matter of fact" I said.**

"**Why are you hiding them then?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**Because they are sore and angry looking, also I was not sure about how it would make me look as I am still officially your mate and it would be embarrassing for you wouldn't it if the Clan saw your mate with someone else's bites on her neck?" I explained.**

"**I don't actually mind as long as you are happy. I do love you but I know that you love Larten more. Talking of Larten, where is he?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**I have no clue. I left him in his coffin this evening and he has since vanished" I explained.**

"**Where is Arra?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**She's on the Bars. I saw her earlier. She has duties in the Halls of Sport tonight" I said.**

"**Oh right well are you free tonight?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**No, unfortunately I'm in the kitchen tonight" I replied.**

"**Oh right never mind. I'll go hunting later then when you've finished your duties. I know how much you love it" Prince Mika said.**

"**I love hunting but it can be quite messy when it comes to the gutting" I said in reply.**

"**I agree but it is satisfying to eat what you have killed yourself. We work hard for our quarry and our reward is eating it and having a good meal" Prince Mika said.**

"**I agree, anyway I was meant to be in the kitchen ages ago. I'll join you later for a hunt" I said as I turned to leave the High Table but Prince Mika stopped me.**

"**Hang on a minute, don't I get a hug? Besides you're my mate so if you want to skip duties you have my consent" Prince Mika said.**

"**Oh yeah I forgot about that" I said as I hugged Prince Mika tightly and I was rewarded by a kiss in return for my hug.**

**I left the High Table and I hurried off to get ready for my hunting trip. I picked up my hunting bag and I wrapped up warm in my fur trimmed cloak that had been a gift as it was pretty cold outside. **

"**Are you ready to go?" Prince Mika asked me.**

"**Yes, I have everything that I need" I replied as I slung my hunting bag on my shoulder.**

"**What have you got in there?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**Just my hunting kit, my dagger, my net traps, my bags to put the kills in and some chunks of meat for the wolves" I said.**

"**Oh right, I don't hunt like that but if Arra has taught you otherwise then that's fine. I hunt with the wolves. I normally run along with the wolves and then they do the hard work for us" Prince Mika replied as we entered the forest through the wooden gate. **

"**Oh right, that is not what Arra does. She stalks her prey herself and then she pounces like a big, sleek cat" I replied.**

"**Arra is an active hunter but I tend to take a shortcut as it's quicker and we normally get more kills that way" Prince Mika said.**

"**I'll set up my net traps over that rabbit warren and you see if you can find a stag or two for us" I said.**

"**Well I have to find the wolf pack first and there is only one way to do that" Prince Mika said as he lifted his head up to the full moon and howled like a wolf does and it sounded quite authentic too.**

**Soon I heard lots of shorter howls and then the whole forest seemed to come alive around me as wolves appeared out of nowhere and came bounding over to us, they rubbed against us and jumped up on us like tame dogs do. **

**It was hard to believe that these wolves were wild creatures that would kill a human without blinking but with us they acted like pets, albeit rather large pets! It had something to do with our blood and our scent. **

**Vampires and wolves are like blood cousins but it was hard to explain as it had something to do with the first vampire who had a wolf for a mother or so the myth went but it was all speculation and anything that was said by Des Tiny had to be taken with a large pinch of salt. **

**I went over to the rabbit warren and I set up my nets over all of the holes , then I started to dig and make noise so that the rabbits would be scared enough to run out of their burrows and straight into the nets where I would dispatch them with a slice of my hunting knife. It was a quick and clean way of killing but I still hated doing it. **

**As a human I had kept pet rabbits and now I was killing them and I felt like a hypocrite as in the past I had fought to save my pets from foxes and cats, I had some really fluffy rabbits and the ones that came out of the holes were also very fluffy with their Winter coats on. They reminded me of my pets so much that had been left at the Cirque Du Freak when I had left for the mountain. **

"**How are you getting on?" Prince Mika asked me.**

"**Fine, I have had six rabbits out of this warren and a partridge that was nesting in that tree, we should leave the rest to sustain the numbers or we will have to find a new hunting ground" I replied as I bagged my kills and fed the entrails to the wolves. **

"**Well I have managed to get a stag and it is huge, it will feed us for a day or two at least" Prince Mika said.**

**I started to walk off towards a stream before I heard Prince Mika's voice.**

"**Where are you going?" I heard the Prince ask me.**

"**Down to the stream to wash my blades and my hands as I am covered in blood, it will not take long" I replied as I continued walking down to the stream which was quite a nice picnic spot as it had a stone bridge over it and there was a grassy bank that you could sit on, there were stepping stones as well. I took my jug out of my bag and when I was undressed I jumped into the stream and washed all of the blood off of my hands and out of my hair, I cleaned my blades and then I dried off with the towels that I had brought with me, I put some warmer, clean clothes on and then I went back to where Prince Mika had been waiting for me. **

"**Man, I feel better now that I am clean and I am not covered in rabbit blood and partridge feathers" I said as we headed back to the mountain to share our kills with the other Princes and whoever wanted some of our food. **

**I was meant to have kitchen duties but my hunt had lasted so long that I had missed my time slot so I prepared my own food and took the rest of the night off, as I was entitled to do. I went to find Larten and Arra as I was bored and I wondered if they wanted to play a game with me or something. I bumped into Larten in the corridor between the Hall of Osca Velm and the Hall of Purta Vin Grahl. **

"**Evening Larten" I said.**

"**Evening Sophie, I thought you had kitchen duties" Larten commented.**

"**No, I went hunting with Prince Mika instead and then I took the night off, now I am bored so I wondered if you wanted to play a game or something with me?" I asked hopefully. **

"**What kind of game? I play chess, cards, gambling and drinking games" Larten asked. **

"**I would like to learn how to play a drinking game; I am up for a laugh if you, Gavnur, Prince Mika and Prince Vancha join in" I said with a glint in my eye.**

"**Alright that sounds like fun" Larten said and he went off to find the others.**

**I had never played a drinking game before but I was eager to learn and I was quite quick at learning things. I wondered what it would be like to play a drinking game.**


	4. Chapter 4 The Naughty Games

**Chapter 4 Naughty Games**

**I was excited about playing a drinking game with Larten and the Princes. I was not sure what we would play but I had always wanted to play strip poker with forfeits for the person or people who chose to fold. It was going to be a lot of fun, regardless of who was playing.**

**I was preparing myself when Larten came and found me. I had a corset on and high heels, I looked like I belonged in the Pussycat Dolls Lounge on the Sunset Strip in Las Vegas, never mind Vampire Mountain playing strip poker for cash and a laugh. **

"**Wow, I have never seen anybody look stunning but you are looking amazing" Larten said as he held me to him. **

"**Thanks for your compliment. It is all for you and Mika you know" I replied.**

"**I realise that Sophie, you look so good in a corset I feel like you should stay here and give me a private show if you get my drift" Larten said.**

"**Larten you are so bad, I haven't even recovered from the other night but yes I will give you some one to one time later" I replied. **

"**Fair enough, let us go and meet the others now" Larten said as we left my quarters hand in hand with our fingers linked like a pair of young lovers. **

**We met the others in the Prince's Dome and we went back into the Prince's private quarters where the game was going to take place. **

**I wasn't sure how to play strip poker but I knew roughly what it was and what it involved. I was kind of nervous but I knew that nothing was going to happen to me. **

**I sat down around the table that we were going to be playing at; there was a deck of cards in the middle, five glasses and a bottle of what looked like wine but it could have been anything. **

"**Evening everybody, thanks for coming" I said. **

"**What are we playing?" Prince Mika asked. **

"**Well my first thought was strip poker but then I noticed that bottle on the table and it gave me another idea, how about playing spin the bottle for cash?" I asked. **

"**How do we play that?" Larten asked.**

"**Well we all sit down, I spin the bottle and whoever it lands on has to do what I say, if they do it they get cash and if they don't then they have to do a forfeit, we take it in turns to spin the bottle" I explained. **

"**It sounds simple and I guess that it could be quite funny if we ask the right things" Prince Mika said.**

"**Yes and that is the idea" I replied. **

**We all sat round the table and I spun the bottle (after we had drunk its contents) and it landed on Prince Vancha.**

"**Prince Vancha I want you to take your shirt off and keep it off for the rest of the game" I said.**

"**That doesn't sound too bad" Prince Vancha said and he removed his plain cotton shirt to reveal his well sculptured body. **

"**Now it is your turn to spin the bottle" I said to Prince Vancha.**

**So Prince Vancha spun the bottle and it landed on Gavnur. **

"**Gavnur, you are ordered to go and find Arra, tell her that she has lovely legs and then come back" Prince Vancha said.**

"**OK, that is not too much bother but I will blame you if she punches me" Gavnur said and he left the table to find Arra wherever she was. **

**Before he left Gavnur spun the bottle and it landed on Larten.**

"**Larten I want you to come with me and find Seba, call him a vampire of poor standing and then call him a bastard" Gavnur said with a wicked grin.**

"**I refuse to do such an inappropriate thing" Larten said.**

"**Right well you will have to do a forfeit then and your forfeit is to snog prince Vancha and look like you are enjoying it" I said.**

"**You must be joking, that is not happening" Prince Vancha protested.**

"**Oh yes it is" I said and I pushed Larten towards Prince Vancha.**

"**It is only a snog; it is not as though we are fighting to the death is it?" Larten said.**

"**Given the alternative I would prefer to fight to the death" Prince Vancha said.**

"**Shut up and kiss you stuffy old bats, we are waiting" I said as I laughed.**

"**Fine but I will get my revenge on you later Sophie" Prince Vancha said as he rose and walked towards Larten with a look of disgust on his face. Larten made the first move as Prince Vancha was not likely to and I watched as they kissed first then they made out. I was in a fit of laughter but that was the whole point of the game.**

"**That was not as bad as I thought" Prince Vancha said.**

"**I aim to please even if the circumstances are very odd" Larten replied as they both sat down at the table. **

**Prince Vancha spun the bottle and it landed on me.**

"**Sophie you have to bring Arra here and snog her in revenge for my last turn" Prince Vancha said.**

"**Alright" I said as I left to find Arra. I didn't need to look very far as she was outside the Prince's Dome with Gavnur. **

"**Arra, the Princes want you, please follow me" I said and Arra came along, Gavnur followed me and we returned to the table where the others were waiting for our return.**

"**So Gavnur, did you fulfil your challenge?" I asked.**

"**Yes, I did succeed" Gavnur replied and I smiled.**

"**What is all this about anyway?" Arra asked and she looked annoyed with all of us.**

"**Well we are playing spin the bottle for cash and Prince Vancha has asked me to snog you in revenge for forcing him to snog Larten" I explained.**

"**Absolutely not, that is so immature and I can smell alcohol. The whole room stinks of brandy and strong wine, you all need to go to bed and sleep but I will not get involved with this frivolity" Arra snapped. **

"**What is the matter Arra? Are you scared that you might like kissing me?" I asked cheekily.**

"**No I am just against these stupid drinking games. I played strip poker once and I am never doing it again. I lost everything I owned and if Larten had not have won the last hand it would have been a disaster, he saved me but this is beyond stupid" Arra replied. **

"**This is spin the bottle, not strip poker but that was the original idea" Prince Mika said.**

"**Well spin the bottle is better than strip poker but I am not kissing another girl, let alone my assistant" Arra said sternly.**

"**What is my forfeit then?" I asked.**

"**You have to spend the day with me in my coffin" Prince Vancha replied.**

"**Fine, I will do that as Arra is not playing" I said then I looked pleadingly at Larten and Prince Mika as if to say "I'm sorry". **

"**Sophie, this game has got out of hand but it was fun at the start. You do not have to spend the night with Vancha if you don't want to" Prince Mika said.**

"**Its fine you can trust me and besides it is Thursday so it is up to Larten to rescue me" I said.**

"**Is it really Thursday?" Larten asked.**

"**Yes, it is past midnight now so it is Thursday which means that we swap partners again" I replied beaming.**

"**Well if that is the case then come here Sophie. I have something for you" Larten said. **

**I walked over to Larten and he pulled out a small box from the pocket of his robes.**

"**Thank you" I said as I took the box and opened it. The box contained a ring with the biggest stone in it that I had ever seen; I assumed that I was a diamond set into platinum or white gold. **

"**Wow, thank you so much" I said as I put the ring on my ring finger-it was a perfect fit as well which I was surprised about. **

"**I have nothing to give you in return though" I said.**

"**You have no need to give me anything, I just wanted to show you what I feel for you and by giving you this ring you are connected to me now" Larten said.**

"**That is a very generous gift Larten, maybe I was wrong about you and I misjudged how you feel about my assistant" Arra commented.**

"**Sophie I cannot buy you gifts like Larten can but I can offer you my unconditional love and I can give you privileges" Prince Mika said, he looked really upset by Larten's declaration of love. **

"**You look like you are engaged" Gavnur laughed.**

"**I do look engaged, I hadn't thought about that" I said as I took my ring off and I put it on the other hand.**

"**Do you not wish to be engaged to me?" Larten asked.**

"**Well I um never thought about it. You haven't asked me to marry you either" I replied.**

"**So is that a no?" Larten asked.**

"**It isn't a no, I can't answer a question that I haven't been asked" I replied. **

"**That is a good point" Gavnur said. **

"**I am confused, I don't know what to do now; do I follow my heart or my head?" I asked myself out loud.**

"**Sophie I can release you if you wish, we can continue sharing or you can make a choice and stick with it. It was your initial sacrifice that led to this" Prince Mika said.**

"**Arra, what do you want?" I asked.**

"**I really do not mind either way. I have my eyes on another General so I am not bothered but I do love Larten and you Sire" Arra replied.**

"**Sophie, will you marry me?" Larten asked.**

"**I um, um, I um…yes I will" I said and I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders.**

"**You will have to be my bride's maid Arra and Mika you can be the best man" I continued.**

**I put the ring back on my ring finger and I held it up the torchlight. It really was beautiful and felt so lucky.**

**Larten motioned me to come over to him and I of course went over to him. With the speed of a demon he picked me up and spun me around in the air before he cradled me in his arms and kissed me in a way that I had never expected.**

**It was in public too which was something that Larten never did except for the one occasion in the corridor where he had made a temporary lapse in his usually clear, unfaltering judgement. **

"**I did not think that vampires got hitched, I thought they made temporary mating agreements then they would split up, renew or extend their mating term" I said when I could speak again and when my feet were back on the ground.**

"**That is correct but there is no law against making a permanent commitment by means of a marriage, you do not have to marry me. It is a bit quick so if you want to go slow I do not mind" Larten said.**

"**I am so confused, I love you and Prince Mika, picking between you two gentlemen is too hard. Who do I want more?" I asked myself out loud. **

"**Sophie I will love you until I die, I will always be good and faithful to you. I will spoil you rotten" Larten said.**

"**Sophie I will be loving, loyal and faithful and as a Prince's mate you will get the very best of everything. I have no money but I have a much higher standing than Larten as he gave up his Prince's investiture for the Cirque Du Freak, that is quite a big thing to give up and now it is up to you" Prince Mika explained.**

"**You gave up being a Prince for the Cirque Du Freak and Truska?" I asked surprised.**

"**I did but I realised that I wanted more of a free life and I love to travel, I am nomadic and anybody who is with me gets to see the world through the eyes of a true night walker" Larten explained. **

"**I dream of travelling the world and living like a Queen but not even you could keep me in the luxury that I am dreaming of" I said.**

"**I think that I can, that ring was very expensive but to me money is no object, I save wisely and I win gambling games frequently" Larten bragged. **

"**Are you able to keep me like a true Queen with everything that a Queen should have?" I asked as I was intrigued about how rich Larten really was.**

"**I can show you a whole new world of wealth and privilege, ask Arra" Larten said. **

"**Arra what can you tell me?" I asked.**

"**Only that for the seven years that we mated I wanted for nothing and I have so many fine things as you have seen, you would be making a wise choice to pick Larten but if you want to live in here with the Princes then it is up to you" Arra said.**

"**So I have the choice between money, travel and privilege or privilege and a high standing in the Clan" I commented.**

"**Yes, what will it be Sophie?" Prince Vancha asked.**

"**Larten you are offering me my dreams on a plate and Prince Mika you are offering me something that money cannot buy. I want both to be honest but I can only have one and I am going to pick you Larten purely because you want to travel and I do not wish to be stuck in this mountain for years on end" I replied, I was happy and I felt like I had done the right thing. **

**Just then a messenger came in with the news that the final vampires had arrived and it was time for the Festival of the Undead to begin at long last. I had been looking forward to the Festival for ages as it was meant to be tremendous fun. **

"**Mika I will always be grateful for your acts of kindness towards me and I will miss you in other ways too and Larten I have always been in love with you ever since the first time that we snogged on the bars until now and I am in shock that you would pick me but I am glad that you have. Please promise me one thing though" I said.**

"**What would that promise be?" Larten asked.**

"**Please promise me that you will not be such a stuffy old bat and try to be a bit better tempered" I said.**

"**I will try if that is what you want, right now though we have matters to discuss" Larten replied.**

"**Like what? We are in the middle of a game" I asked.**

"**Wedding plans and other things" Larten replied simply. **

"**Can it not wait?" I asked.**

"**No, this must be sorted out sooner rather than later" Larten said. **

"**Alright, I will come along now. I will see you lot later then" I said as I left with Larten and headed for his quarters (I had learnt how to get there using the quickest route) I was pretty nervous but I was happy and excited… I mean I was going to become Mrs Crepsley or so I thought at the time. **

**I entered Larten's quarters and I saw that he had been rearranging his furniture. It looked like he was making space for additional objects. **

"**I love what you've done with the place" I said jokingly.**

"**I am just making space for your things so that you can move in here whenever you like rather than where you are now, although the Prince's quarters are very comfortable" Larten said.**

"**Have you planned this all along?" I asked.**

"**Well I planned to make you mine and mine alone but you moving in here was Seba's idea" Larten answered. **

**I noticed the coffin that had been in the room before had been replaced with a new one this coffin was a much wider one with a red lining. **

"**Nice coffin" I said.**

"**I thought that we should get one that is big enough for two rather than one or two at a squeeze" Larten replied.**

"**That is a good idea; but do you really want me moving in here?" I asked.**

"**Of course, you cannot stay in the Prince's quarters. It would not be appropriate especially as we are engaged" Larten said.**

"**Alright then but I have nothing to move in with as I have borrowed everything from Arra, I have none of my own property except for this ring and my bag that I came here with" I said. **

"**That is why I am going to buy you everything that you need; you need a lot of things like weaponry and armour. You need clothing of your own, a pocket allowance, your own storage compartments and anything else that you can think of" Larten said. **

"**What is a pocket allowance?" I asked.**

"**An amount of money that I will give you weekly or monthly for you to do what you like with, I take very good care of my fiancées" Larten said.**

"**How many have you had?" I asked.**

"**Three, it would have been four but Arra ended our term before I proposed so you are the fourth, my first fiancée left me when she discovered that I was a vampire, my second died of typhoid fever, the third was unfaithful and you have not left me yet or been unfaithful" Larten explained simply. **

"**At least I know the truth, why anybody would cheat on you is beyond me but some women do not realise what they have until it is gone" I said.**

"**That is true, my third fiancée begged me to forgive her but I had already met Arra so I left her in Paris and then she was murdered by a mugger for the twenty francs that she had in her pocket" Larten explained.**

"**I bet you were upset when you heard about that" I said.**

"**Yes but she had been unfaithful so I was pretty angry with her however she did not deserve to be murdered" Larten replied matter of factly. **

"**I agree and I will never be unfaithful to you as long as you keep me satisfied" I said.**

"**Believe me you have not had me at my best yet; I can make you enter Paradise and you will feel like you have never felt before. You will still be alive so I can do it to you again and again until you cannot take anymore" Larten said.**

"**So I have a few things to look forward to then?" I asked.**

"**Yes lots of things, we should make our engagement official by making an announcement at the festival as it is proper" Larten replied.**

"**That is fine by me, I cannot wait to see the look on the Clan's faces when we make our announcement" I said as I collapsed into an armchair, I was tired of standing up in my high heels as they hurt my feet. **

"**So what do you wish to do tonight?" Larten asked me.**

"**I want to rest in peace as I am tired and I am saving my energy for the Festival. I hope you don't mind" I replied with an exaggerated yawn. I really was shattered, that much was true.**

"**Well you can retire to bed then if you wish, it is nearly dawn anyway so it makes sense to turn in early" Larten said as he took his cloak off and unbuttoned his shirt. **

"**Are you joining me?" I asked nervously.**

"**Of course as it is proper" Larten said.**

"**Oh well if you want to stay up you can. I don't mind and actually I want to spend a final night with Prince Mika before we get serious so that I can say goodbye" I admitted.**

"**Sophie that is just not done, that is bad etiquette" Larten snapped.**

"**I'm sorry Larten" I said meekly.**

"**It is fine, I understand if you want to say goodbye to Prince Mika and spend one last night with him, you have my consent if you want to do that" Larten said.**

"**Well I will go and find him and thank you for everything" I said.**

"**It is OK and I have something else for you as well" Larten said as he handed me another box. I opened it to find a necklace that matched my ring. I was stunned and I put it on so that I could admire it in the mirror. **

"**Thank you" I said, I could not find any other words to say other than those two. **

"**You are welcome my love, perhaps this additional gift will show you how much I fervently admire and love you" Larten replied.**

"**You can be so cute sometimes Larten, I knew you had it in you to be romantic" I replied as I looked at our reflections together in the mirror, we suited each other well, we looked like a good couple when we stood together and looked at our reflections.**

"**We are one" Larten said as he held me around my waist. **

"**Yes we are as one, two people but we are together as one unit" I replied.**

"**Do you want to go to Prince Mika?" Larten asked me.**

"**Yes because I want to spend one last night with him" I admitted.**

"**You may go, I give you leave to mate with Prince Mika" Larten replied.**

"**Do I need your permission then?" I asked.**

"**Yes and I give it to you because I know what Prince Mika means to you" Larten concluded.**

**At this point I kissed Larten and left for the Prince's Dome. **

**I was hoping that Prince Mika was still awake; he was sitting on his throne when the guard let me into the Dome. **

"**Hello" I said.**

"**Sophie, you should be with Larten what are you doing here?" Prince Mika asked me.**

"**Larten has given me leave to spend one last night with you because I want to say goodbye before I assign myself to Larten's will" I replied.**

"**Well in that case I will make it extra special for you Sophie" Prince Mika said as I walked over to him.**

**We kissed with such passion and such longing for I knew that I would never get this again after this last time for I would have to be faithful to my husband to be. **

"**Mika I love you" I said between breathless kissing and I meant it.**

"**Sophie, I love you too. I really deeply love you" Prince Mika said as he came in for another round of snogging before we moved onto the actual act of mating. **

**Prince Mika carried me into his quarters, he placed me into his coffin and he stripped off his robes and his underclothes. I did the same and then this very fit vampire Prince got into the coffin and then he kissed me, touched me before he prepared me for sex by running his hands between my legs and inside me so that I loosened up a bit and got stimulated off of it. **

"**Mika please make this good for me" I said.**

"**It will be my angel" Prince Mika said as he kissed me more and when he thought that I was ready he entered me which made me gasp but it didn't hurt like it had done in the past. **

**Prince Mika began to move in and out of me slowly at first and then he got faster. I gasped and I breathed a lot faster with the sensations that were going through me.**

"**How am I doing?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**Amazing, I love it but I want to go on top and pay you back" I replied.**

"**Alright let's swap positions" Prince Mika said and we did. I got on top of Prince Mika and I rocked him like Larten had taught me to and it was clearly a good idea. **

"**Sophie you are fucking awesome" Prince Mika said as he took over and did some of the work whilst I stayed on top and enjoyed the sensations that were ripping through me.**

**I was the first to come, the orgasm hit me and I rocked back and forth so that it lasted longer, then Prince Mika released his seed which tipped me over the edge and I screamed out loudly which I had not done for a while. I continued to rock on top until I was too tired to continue then Prince Mika took over and he finished me off in such an amazing way that I was left feeling like I had just had a moment of sheer orgasmic euphoria. **

"**What an experience" I said as I settled down to sleep. I was out of breath and my legs hurt but it was worth it for that.**

"**Yes that was phenomenal and you have clearly improved since the first time we slept together, tell me can Larten do that to you?" Prince Mika asked.**

"**I think that he probably can but he hasn't done it yet" I said as I drifted off to sleep with Prince Mika holding me close to him.**

**When I awoke I was happy and I felt secure. I had had such a great day and now it was time to say goodbye and return to Larten before anybody else found out. **

"**Goodbye my angel, I hope that Larten treats you as well as I have" Prince Mika said.**

"**I am sure that I will be fine, if I am not I will complain to you first" I replied as I gave Prince Mika a final long, passionate kiss as my way of saying goodbye.**

"**I will see you at the festival" I said.**

"**Yes, please don't forget that I love you" Prince Mika replied as he moved in for another kiss and he held me really close to him as if I was never going to be in his arms again. **

"**I love you too Mika but now I really must go" I said as a couple of tears leaked from my eyes.**

"**Here, keep these in my memory, call it a parting gift" Prince Mika said as he wrapped his cloak around me and then he gave me his pendant that he always wore.**

"**Thank you I will treasure these but the cloak is way too big for me" I laughed.**

"**Use it as a blanket when Larten isn't there to keep you warm" Prince Mika said.**

"**Alright I will do" I said, then I turned around and left the Prince's private quarters. **

**I was in tears when I left but I knew my duty to Larten was more important than my own personal feelings. Larten was a good man, he was a great lover too so it was not entirely bad and I had things that I was looking forward to like the engagement party and the actual wedding.**

**I returned to Larten's quarters and I found him sorting through a few things.**

"**Hello" I said.**

"**Evening, how are you?" Larten asked.**

"**I am fine physically but hurting inside" I explained.**

"**It will take a while for you to adjust but you will be fine. I hope that you are looking forward to the Festival of the Undead. I am and you my dear will need some new clothes so we will have to search the storerooms or go into the town and do what I hate doing most…shopping" Larten said. **

"**How much money do I get to shop with? I can go alone if you want" I suggested.**

"**You do not know the way and you would not know what is suitable" Larten replied.**

"**Alright well we'll go together then whenever you are ready. I will require a wardrobe and a chest of drawers" I replied.**

"**I know that, I have had lots of experience when it comes to looking after ladies, by the way I have decided to give you three thousand Romanian Leu a week to live on and when we return to England I will give you five thousand pounds a week to live on, that is more than sufficient to live comfortably" Larten said as he handed me over several notes of Romanian money and a big wodge of English money too.**

"**This is way too much but I am very grateful to you" I said. **

"**Well you said that wanted to live like a Queen so I am going to make sure that you do that to the best of my ability" Larten replied.**

"**I am feeling very privileged and very lucky right now, I cannot believe that I am here, it is like I am in a whole new world where everything is ours for the taking" I said as I began to sing the lyrics of that iconic song with a few changes.**

"**I can show you my clan, full of darkness and shadows. Tell me Larten now when did you last let your wife decide? I can open your eyes and take you up to the mountain over hillsides and rivers on a dangerous vampire flit, a whole new world, a new vampiric point of view. No one to tell us no or where to go or say we are only humans" I sung then Larten came in with his part.**

"**A whole new world, a new vamptastic point of view, when I am in the clan it is all a plan let me share this whole new clan with you" he continued.**

**Then we both sung the last bit together which was nice but I had no idea that Larten could sing, let alone knowing the lyrics to a Disney song that I had altered. **

"**Every Trial a challenge, every moment dangerous, I will take you anywhere there is time to spare, let me join this whole new clan with you, a thrilling chase, and a wondrous place for you and me" We finished.**

"**I did not know that you knew the lyrics Larten" I said surprised. **

"**I am a great lover of music and I made the lyrics up on the spot, I had no idea how we managed to sing the same lyrics together like that though. As they fit so well we will keep them and maybe perform this song at our engagement party if you like" Larten said.**

"**Oh yes that would give the Clan something to look forward to, I had no idea that you could sing Larten, I can sing but I am not that good" I replied.**

"**You are good at singing, you do not realise" Larten replied.**

"**Thanks you are too kind, I was off key slightly on that high bit and you threw me by joining in. It was romantic in a way but not very vampiric" I replied. **

"**We do not have to be vampiric all of the time Sophie but I have been a vampire for so long I have forgotten my humanity or I had forgotten it until I heard you singing Walt Disney. I remember when Snow White came out in the cinema in 1937, I was a lot younger then but I do not look much different now than what I did back then. I was engaged this very beautiful, rich socialite in Paris at the time and she wanted me to give her everything or she did until she found out about my vampiric blood, she left me and went off with some French soldier apparently, I left for the mountain and then I met Arra a few years later" Larten explained. **

"**That is interesting you have done a lot in your life I see. How old are you? If you do not mind me asking" I asked.**

"**I am one hundred and eighty two years old and I am physically between thirty and forty because as you know I only age one year for every ten that passes, I am young as vampires go but I am very old compared to you" Larten replied.**

"**Age does not bother me as long as you have plenty of life left in you" I replied.**

"**I have a good three or four hundred years in me yet if I do not die in battle first which is likely" Larten said.**

"**How likely is that?" I asked.**

"**Well providing that the vampaneze keep their end of our truce it is not likely unless we bump into them on our travels or if we get hunted by vampets and humans" Larten explained to me.**

"**That is good to know, I have no desire to be a widow, what happens if you were to die though? Can I mate again or not?" I asked.**

"**I will leave you a fortune that you can live on and if you fall in love again then follow your heart but I will always be in your heart and I will be watching over you if I die" Larten replied.**

"**OK, that is good to know. If anything happened to you I would probably take Prince Mika as my mate and maybe I would marry him" I replied.**

"**A wise decision on your part Sophie but I am not going anywhere right now, I love you too much to leave you. We had better get dressed and head down to the Halls for the start of the Festival now if you have no objections?" Larten asked.**

"**Yes that's cool but what am I going to wear? I have no fine dresses yet" I replied.**

"**I have already sorted clothing out for you it is behind that changing screen" Larten replied.**

"**I went to look behind the screen to find some sort of gown with shoes and a tiara. I managed to get into it and I stepped out from behind the screen wearing some kind of deep red ball gown that had crystals and embroidery on the front and it laced up at the back.**

"**Can you lace it up please?" I asked.**

"**Of course, I know my way around a corset" Larten replied as he pulled the cords tighter and tied them in a bow at the bottom.**

**I gasped to breathe but then it became easier and it actually felt really comfortable when I got to walking around in it.**

**I fixed my hair and then we entered the Halls where all of the other vampires and vampiresses were gathered. I was glad to see that all of the other vampires were dressed up in fine suits and ball gowns and that I seemed to blend into the crowd of ever more vampires.**

"**You look amazing" Prince Mika said to me.**

"**Thanks, you look good too" I replied.**

"**Sophie? That can't be you all dressed up like a lady" Arra said.**

"**It is me Arra, what do you think?" I asked.**

"**You are truly spoiled rotten, you look stunning" Arra commented me.**

"**Thanks so do you" I replied as I admired Arra's own ball gown that was pure white with purple decorations and purple sleeves.**

"**I look good in this old thing?" Arra asked surprised.**

"**Yes, it suits you Arra" I said.**

"**It is not the best gown I own but it will do for tonight as I am saving my best clothes for the final night of the festival" Arra replied.**

"**That is a good idea, where did you get your gowns from?" I asked.**

"**I had some made and the others were gifts to me from admirers or from Larten" Arra replied simply.**

"**I wonder what I will wear on the last night of the festival" I said.**

"**Something befitting a Queen I am sure" Arra replied as she went onto the dance floor and gave into Gavnur's pleading as he had been trying to get Arra to dance for the past hour.**

**I ordered drinks and I sat down as the dance floor was packed and there was a fight going on in one of the other rooms but it was part of the festival apparently. **

**Larten had disappeared into one of the other rooms so I sat alone for a while until Prince Mika came over and asked me to dance which I of course enjoyed as he lifted me up in the air and spun me around and it felt like I was flying more than dancing. **

"**Do you mind if I cut in Sire?" Larten asked Prince Mika.**

"**Of course not" Prince Mika said.**

"**Come on Sophie, I will show how we are supposed to dance" Larten said as he led me into the centre of the dance floor, as if by magic the other couples moved outwards so we had room to dance. I had danced at the Cirque Du Freak but not like this and I spent most of my time in the air as Larten performed a lot of lifts as it was part of the dance and I guess he wanted to show me off. Larten threw me up in the air and he caught me perfectly, I was safe in his hands and dancing with him was really fun. **

"**That was fun" I said when I could breathe again.**

"**Yes, you are light and easy to lift up higher than I would normally lift a lady, look at my feet" Larten said.**

**I looked down and saw a pair of shoes that had wheels on the bottom.**

"**So that is how you glide so easily, you do not step you roll around like you are on skates, how clever" I said.**

"**Exactly, I have many tricks that I use" Larten replied. **

"**I enjoyed it and it was great when I was in the air, your speed is incredible" I replied. **

"**I know and the best thing is that these wheels can be taken off; they become like normal shoes again so as not to give away my secrets" Larten said. **

"**It is a clever idea, I am looking forward to our engagement party but I am still getting used to the idea of it. I can't believe that I am going to go from Miss Sophie Myers to Mrs Sophie Crepsley with all of the trimmings and nothing left out either. I liked Madam Ver Leth better though as it sounds more important" I admitted.**

"**It does sound more important but Prince Mika is a player and he has hardly any money as where with me you get everything that you dream of except for the title" Larten said.**

"**Yes but little details are important to me Larten dearest" I said.**

"**Well what do you want me to do? I can only give what is mine to give. I have no title to give you or you could have it" Larten said, he sounded hurt.**

"**Sorry I am being unfair to you" I said.**

"**You are perfectly entitled to tell me how you feel Sophie, I love you no matter what" Larten said. **

"**Thanks Larten, dare I say that you are really sweet when you want to be" I said.**

"**I am just helping you out, you are after all my fiancée and that means that I am supposed to support you, stand by you and love you so that is what I am doing" Larten said.**

**I didn't speak then I just looked deep into Larten's eyes that were deep blue like the ocean and they were positively mesmerising if you were not used to them. That was one of the things that had drawn me to Larten in the beginning, his enchanting, hypnotising eyes. **

**That was not the only thing though, I loved Larten's skills and he was one of the best warriors that the Clan had to offer. He taught me how to duel upon the Bars, how to fight hand to hand, how to use weapons and how to kill quickly and cleanly when necessary.**

**Larten was not a believer in violence but he believed in self-defence and he believed that you should kill only as a last resort or to eat but not for sport, entertainment or for money. Larten also believed that if a kill had to be made it should be performed quickly and cleanly to minimise suffering as suffering was good for nothing in his opinion and I agreed with him.**

**I was enjoying the Festival of the Undead so far; I had been dancing and drinking a lot of blood as we had opened up some of the best barrels to enjoy over this festive period. **

**I had not taken part in any duels yet but I hoped to crack a skull or two before the festival was over as I always enjoyed a good duel. **

**I stuck by Larten's side during the first night of the festival as it was traditional and I enjoyed it. Larten introduced me to his friends and we danced until the sun rose. **

**When we returned to our shared quarters I was exhausted but I was happy and I felt like I had finally found my place in the Clan. **

"**I am so tired" I said.**

"**That is my fault for dancing all night long with you, I am sorry" Larten replied.**

"**It is fine, I enjoyed myself and I made lots of new friends" I replied.**

"**That is good, I am glad that you enjoyed yourself. I hope that you liked your dress, it suits you" Larten replied as he helped me out of it. **

"**Yes, it is very nice but it is too much for me, I do not deserve such a dress" I replied as I hung up my dress in the brand new wardrobe that had been moved in here for my use. **

"**I disagree, you deserve everything" Larten replied.**

"**Why? What have I done to earn such clothes?" I asked.**

"**Is it wrong for a man to spoil his fiancée and help her to look her best because she is attending a few parties?" Larten asked.**

"**No not really. I was just surprised that you would get me such a dress, you seem to know a lot about ladies clothes" I said.**

"**I have had a lot of experience with buying clothes and I know your measurements so I just took them to a tailor with instructions to make a fine ball gown that is suitable for a Queen" Larten replied.**

"**I am of course very grateful to you" I commented.**

"**I know you are. Do want me to make you mine in every way?" Larten asked.**

"**I am really tired Larten dearest, I am too tired to do anything to you" I said as I yawned.**

"**Let me lead then, I can wake you up" Larten said as he scooped me up in his arms and cradled me. **

**I loved Larten's strength and he spun me around like I was flying which I loved. Larten held me above his head and I was high up, I loved this feeling. **

**Just then there was a knock on our door and Larten put me down so that he could answer it. Larten only had his robe on and I had nothing but my pyjamas on so I quickly put my dressing gown on over the top of my pyjamas. **

"**Sorry to disturb you but its Arra. She is seriously ill and we do not know why. We think that she has been poisoned" Gavnur said when he had recovered his breath. **

"**Take us to her immediately" Larten said and we left in all haste to her quarters where we found her lying down in her coffin barely conscious. **

"**Get Arra to the medical wing now and we may be able to save her life but it is a race against time" Larten said and nobody argued with him.**

"**What's wrong with her?" I asked.**

"**Arra has indeed been poisoned and it looks like hemlock to me, it is deadly even in tiny doses" Larten replied grimly.**

"**Was it ingested or is it in the blood stream?" Larten asked.**

"**We are not sure but we think both" The Medic said.**

"**In that case she needs water and charcoal to soak up the poison and a blood transfusion, her infected blood must be removed and replaced with clean blood. It is the only chance to save her and we may already be too late" Larten said.**

"**How do you know?" I asked.**

"**I know a lot about herbs and medicines, I studied for many years as a herbalist, it is how I have survived so long in the wilderness" Larten replied. **

"**Right well we will have to fight to save Arra then, who would want her dead?" I asked.**

"**I do not think anybody does, she has done this to herself in my opinion but why I cannot say" Larten whispered to me.**

"**How are we going to perform this blood transfusion with no needles or IV lines?" I asked.**

"**Arra will have to be cut open on her vein to let the blood out and then that wound will be healed. Then Arra will have to be blooded again which is very dangerous but it is the only way to do it" Larten said.**

"**Who bloods her then?" I asked.**

"**Whoever wants to save her life will risk their life for hers" Larten said.**

"**You can't mean that you are going to do this?" I asked.**

"**I have to do this, I am the only one here who shares Arra's blood so it must be me" Larten replied.**

"**But if you die from being poisoned yourself then what?" I asked.**

"**What if Arra dies?" Larten asked angrily as he ground up some charcoal fiercely into a powder.**

"**Medic you know what to do, do what you must" Larten said.**

**I could see that Arra was very weak and it was scaring me but I stayed there and helped by pouring the charcoal mixture down her throat through a funnel. It was awful to watch but we worked together as a team.**

"**I have done what I can for Arra, it is up to her now to respond to the treatment" Larten said as he washed her blood off of his hands. **

"**When will we know if it has worked and Arra has been saved?" I asked.**

"**We will not know until the new blood kicks in, I will stay here today in case I am needed, you may stay with Prince Mika if you wish. He is aware of what has happened" Larten replied.**

"**I will go back to our quarters and stay there, tell me if there is any news be it good or bad" I said as I hugged Larten and walked toward the door.**

"**Sophie" Larten called out to me.**

"**Yes Larten?" I replied tiredly. **

"**Thank you for helping out and I love you" Larten said.**

"**I love you too Larten" I replied as I kissed him with some passion because Larten looked like he needed me to show him how I felt about him. **

"**Good day" I said and I returned to our quarters. I went to sleep under Prince Mika's cloak as it was cold in the coffin without Larten there to keep me warm as he normally did. **

**The sunset finally came and I woke up to someone knocking on the door. I got dressed and opened it to find Gavnur standing there.**

"**Evening, what is it?" I asked.**

"**It's Arra, she is awake" Gavnur said.**

"**Thank the Gods of the Vampires for that" I replied.**

"**Yes we must be thankful but if not for Larten Arra would be dead" Gavnur replied.**

"**Yes we are lucky that Larten knew what to do" I replied.**

"**Shall we go and see Arra?" Gavnur asked.**

"**Yes definitely" I replied and we both left to go to the medical wing.**

**When we arrived I saw Arra lying down in her medical bay hammock with Larten and Prince Mika with her.**

"**Hi Sophie, it's good to see you" Arra said.**

"**What happened yesterday?" I asked.**

"**I misread a label as the ink had faded and what I thought was a bottle of seasoning was actually extract of hemlock, a pure accident" Arra explained.**

"**Why would that be in the kitchen anyway?" I asked.**

"**For the rats, we put it on bread; the rats eat it and die. We have too many rats in the kitchens" Arra explained. **

"**Well at least you are alive, thanks to Larten's quick recognition of the symptoms and his knowledge" I said.**

"**Yes, I owe you my life Larten. Next time we go to battle remind me" Arra laughed.**

"**It is nothing, I would have done the same for anyone" Larten replied.**

"**You were very lucky Arra, I am glad that you are going to be OK and duelling again in no time" I said.**

"**The Medic says I can leave here as soon as I feel better, I feel sick at the moment but that is the blood" Arra said.**

"**Well at least you are alive and I seem to have had no ill effects from pumping you full of my own blood to purify your poisoned blood" Larten said. **

**Larten looked at Arra with genuine happiness because he had saved her and Arra was alive because of him, however I saw another look in his eyes, a look of love and it was like they were remembering all the things that had gone before.**

"**Larten hadn't we better let Arra get some rest now?" I asked.**

"**Nonsense, stay as long as you wish" Arra said.**

"**What the patient says goes Sophie" Larten replied.**

"**Alright, shall I fetch a chess set or something?" I asked.**

"**Yes that would be a good plan" Arra said.**

**I left to fetch a chess set from the Halls. I didn't want to be long because Gavnur had left and I couldn't leave Larten alone with Arra in case he did to me what he did before. **

**Although we were now engaged I found it hard to trust Larten but I needn't have worried because when I returned Larten was sat at a respectable distance away from Arra and they were just talking innocently.**

"**There you are, let's play" Arra said.**

"**Who is playing? Chess is for two players not three" I said.**

"**You two can play and I'll watch I never was very good at chess anyway" Arra said. **

"**Larten is that OK with you?" I asked.**

"**Of course it is my love, why would it not be?" Larten replied.**

"**Well I am not very good at chess either" I said.**

"**Then it will be a quick game" Larten replied.**

"**No vampiric speed though, I want to play it like a normal game" I said.**

"**As you wish dearest" Larten said as he set up the board. **

**We started to play chess and as Larten had predicted, it was a quick game.**

"**Check mate" Larten said.**

"**What, it has only been nine moves" I said as I knocked my king over in defeat.**

"**Alright, I will give you some pointers this time" Larten said as he set the board up again.**

"**Thank you for teaching me" I said instinctively.**

"**It is fine, anything for my fiancée" Larten said before he kissed my hand across the table.**

"**Larten, have you forgotten where we are?" I said embarrassed.**

"**Oh right, sorry Arra" Larten said as he coughed awkwardly.**

"**It is fine, I do not mind. You two are engaged you should show your love for each other" Arra said in response. **

"**Are you sure that you don't mind?" I asked.**

"**I was shocked to begin with as it was very quick and I was hurt but I am OK now because I have other things to worry about, taking a new mate is not on my major priority list" Arra replied.**

"**Well as long as you are OK with it Arra because I don't want to go and marry you Larten if it is not accepted by everybody here. I am not going to make a poor judgement call Larten" I replied.**

"**It is not a poor judgement call, everybody likes you and people are quite jealous of you for having one of the best mentors to teach you and one of the highest ranking vampires as your fiancé" Larten said.**

"**As long as it is proper I don't mind and that means I am going to follow all of the traditions" I said.**

"**What traditions?" Larten asked.**

"**All the marriage traditions such as me saving myself for the wedding day and not seeing you the day before either, wearing white and having bride's maids you know all of the wedding traditions surely?" I asked.**

"**I guess you will want a vicar and a church too?" Larten replied.**

"**Absolutely not, I am a Pagan Vampirist, the Princes can perform the ceremony and I want a honeymoon too" I said sternly.**

"**So you do not want much then?" Larten asked.**

"**Well I want the best that you can provide Larten. I want you to love me, honour me, defend me and don't forget the rings either" I said sternly. **

"**Of course not darling, you want a traditional wedding I will give you a traditional wedding. I am happy with your choices but you had better make it up to me as I will not be enjoying my conjugal rights for a few weeks" Larten replied, he looked annoyed.**

"**I will do the best I can" I said as I looked at Arra.**

"**I can always prepare you" Arra said.**

"**What do you mean?" I asked.**

"**I can tell you what to do or I can give you advice on what you should do on your wedding day" Arra said.**

"**I know a fair amount already and it is a bit embarrassing to ask my fiancé's ex mate about what to do in bed" I replied.**

"**Well the offer is there if you change your mind Sophie but I can see your point, it would be a bit awkward and if I give away my secrets then it wouldn't be you it would be you imitating me and that isn't right. Especially on your wedding day" Arra replied.**

**Then Larten and I started to play chess for the second time and Larten taught me a set of opening moves called a Sicilian which is normally performed by black pieces but it works with white too. I learnt the Queen's Gambit which is two opening moves with pawns. **

**Then Larten taught me the Baltic defence which is quite good to counter Queen's Gambit as it brings the black bishop into play and it leaves the black queen free to attack. **

**I enjoyed playing chess now that I had some ideas on what to do, there are hundreds of chess openings and I memorised quite a few which would help me win money later on. **

**We would be playing for a large sum of money. This was the equivalent of eight hundred and fifty pounds roughly in English currency; however being in Romania we played with Romanian Leu. **

**I was enjoying having money, it was fun knowing that I could go out into town, into pubs, clubs, shops and spend hundreds of Leu in one hit. **

**I loved playing chess and soon I had picked up a fair few openings and defences. **

**After six games I was getting the hang of it although I was sure that Larten was allowing me to get away with stupid errors which was not at all like him and I had Arra giving me advice too which was confusing but eventually I won a game on my own with no assistance from either Arra or Larten. **

**I felt proud of my achievement and I had enjoyed playing chess with Larten as I had learnt a lot from him. **

"**Right well we have done chess to death, I don't want to hear the words check mate for a long time" I said.**

"**You play quite well now that I have taught you what to do but you have a long way to go. However this is yours as we did play for a prize so here you are" Larten replied and he handed over yet another small box that looked expensive. **

**I opened the box and I saw the most stunning bracelet that I had ever laid my eyes on. **

"**Thank you" I said when I found the words.**

"**Let me see it" Arra said. I held out my wrist and Arra looked at my latest gift.**

"**That is really nice. Sophie you are so spoiled. Not even I had gifts like this" Arra replied when she had seen my new platinum, tanzanite and diamond bracelet. **

"**I spent plenty of money on you Arra. I bought you weapons and clothes but Sophie is not the fighting type" Larten replied.**

"**Now I think about it you did buy me all of those engraved knives, shurikens, that sword and that dress that I only wear for very special occasions" Arra responded.**

"**Exactly Arra, also we were never engaged. If we had of got engaged you would have been showered with jewels too" Larten said.**

"**I already have too much Larten, this is just too much because I can give you nothing in return" I said.**

"**I want nothing in return from you" Larten replied.**

"**Why don't you want anything in return?" I asked.**

"**Because I have you and that is enough. Also I have plenty, I have enough to share and I need nothing" Larten replied.**

"**Fair enough" I said in reply as I put the chess set away.**

"**Are you alright here if we go and grab some food?" Larten asked Arra.**

"**Of course I will be alright. You go if you want to, I will be fine" Arra said assuredly. **

"**Are you coming Sophie?" Larten asked.**

"**Yes, I am pretty starving" I replied as I heard my stomach growl.**

"**We will see you later Arra" Larten said as he held out his hands to her and she took them gladly.**

"**What was that all about? Why did you offer your hands to Arra?" I asked when we were in the food hall.**

"**It is a sign of friendship; vampires offer their hands to those who they trust. It is a sign of loyalty and trust between us" Larten replied as he passed me my bowl of stew, luckily it was venison and not bat. I had endured enough bat broth, stew and soup to last me for a lifetime, it really was vile. **

"**Oh right, I don't see many others doing it" I said.**

"**It is only done between males and females who are ex mates" Larten said.**


End file.
